The Rain Keeps Pouring
by petitesorciere
Summary: The weather is awful, Hermione is alone, and Draco is being particularly vile. What happens when a bet is made? Over 43000 reads, how awesome is that! COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

Hermione turned her head and stared out of the window. A strong wind was whipping the trees in the Hogwart's grounds into a frenzy, and rain was lashing the windows. Christmas had come and gone, and the miserable January weather was dragging everyone down. Students moped around the huge castle, lurking in gloomy corners. And no one seemed to lurk better than Malfoy.

She supposed it made sense that he had been made Head Boy. He wasn't an idiot, he was just arrogant. There hadn't been any proof that he had been involved in the Deatheater invasion of the castle, and with the Dark Pureblood families on the rise, there was never any question of him not having been allowed back to Hogwarts. As it was, she was grateful that she had been able to come back.

But then…was she? She sighed and rested her head against the cold glass. Harry was at Number 12 Grimmauld Place, in the centre of the Order of the Phoenix, helping them conduct their resistance, and preparing to look for Horcruxes. He was still learning but only Defence. Ron had immediately said that he had no intention of coming back to Hogwarts and leaving Harry alone. Hermione had tried to do the same, but the Order had quashed her protests. Their reasoning had been that it was far better to have the Golden Trio split up, then to risk having one of them being hurt and slowing the other two up. So all plans had been changed : Harry would stay at 12 Grimmauld Place until he had to leave to search for Horcruxes (not that the Order knew about that, they just knew of his mysterious 'mission'), Ron would join Lee Jordan and Fred and George as they publicised the Resistance over the Wizarding Radio. And Hermione would go back to Hogwarts and keep learning and training.

She knocked her head gently against the window. She was absolutely useless. What were her two best friends doing? Risking their lives to fight Voldemort. What was she doing? Getting good grades in her classes. The two were hardly comparable. The Order had told her that Ron and Harry would contact her if they had any problems and she would use her considerable brains and Hogwart's resources to answer them. She had argued of course, no one wants to be a human search engine, but no one had understood the reference and she had been packed off like a complaining child.

And now, she was sitting in her bedroom, too troubled to go down to the Head Common Room, not wanting to have to deal with yet another confrontation with Malfoy. Now that Snape was headmaster, there was very little to stop him doing what he wanted. And that mainly involved being as vile to Hermione as he possibly could.

Hermione blinked furiously, refusing to let hot tears spill down her face. Checking her watch, she realised it was time she went down for dinner, and glancing briefly in the mirror, ran down the stairs quickly, not pausing to check if Malfoy was anywhere around. Slamming the door after her, she pattered down to the Great Hall and slid into a seat next to Ginny.

''You ok?'' Ginny smiled at her, and passed her a bowl of potatoes. ''Here, these are really good.''

''I'm fine.'' Hermione pushed her hair back over her shoulders and began to serve herself. ''I just wish it would stop raining.'' Glancing up, she saw that the enchanted ceiling was still grey and cloudy.

''It's going to get worse apparently. Storms are coming.'' Seamus leaned over the table and began speaking to the two girls. Hermione chattered away, her troubles temporarily forgotten.

Draco watched her from across the hall, completely ignoring Pansy as she tried to get his attention. Eventually, she snapped.

''For Merlin's sake Draco! Could you at least pretend to pay attention to me?''

''Piss off Parkinson.'' Draco drawled at her, not even bothering to look at her. ''I'm trying to eat.''

''No, you're not.'' Pansy snapped as she pushed her chair back. ''You're staring at that Mudblood. Again.'' She slammed her chair under the table and stormed towards the doors.

Blaise grinned, a wicked light in one of his eyes. ''She's right, you know.''

''I am not staring at the Mudblood.'' Draco's voice didn't contain any emotion but he did look down at his plate.

Blaise moved into Pansy's now empty seat. ''Are you sure Draco? I mean, you do focus a lot on Granger.'' A malicious smile was quirking his lips. ''There are plenty of other Muggleborns in school, and yet you choose to focus on Granger. I wonder why?''

''I live with her. It's hard not to be more aware of her numerous irritating qualities.''

''But then from what you were bragging about the other night, you've managed to scare the poor little thing so much that she hardly ever leaves her bedroom unless she's going to classes, the library or here. So how could you be aware of her irritating qualities? Unless you're aware of her more…shall we say, pleasurable ones?'' Blaise quailed slightly as Draco turned icy eyes on him.

''What are you trying to say Zabini?''

''Nothing.'' Blaise smiled winningly and took another mouthful.

''Good.'' Draco refilled his goblet and sat back, staring at it contemplatively. There was a minute of blissful silence and then…

''Are you sure though? Because I'm sure I could overlook her blood status for her appearance.''

''Shut it Zabini!''

''No, seriously Draco, have you looked at her properly?''

''You're making the serious mistake of thinking that I'm going to honour her with my attention. I'm thinking about how much I hate her when I look at her.'' Draco took a mouthful of drink, trying to indicate that the subject was now closed.

''That's exactly what I'm saying. Stop thinking about what she is, and have a good look at her.'' Blaise pulled Draco's goblet away and watched as he reluctantly moved his eyes over Hermione.

''I'll grant you she isn't bad.'' Draco dragged the words out as though they were causing him intense pain.

''Not bad? Oh. Come on Draco. She's gorgeous.''

Draco nodded without thinking about it. Her heart shaped face had a sweet smile on it and her cheeks were dimpled from where she was laughing with her friends. Her eyes were a beautiful chocolate colour and fringed with dark lashes and her mouth was looked soft and kissable. Then Draco came back to his senses. ''But she's a Mudblood and that comes before anything else. She could be the most beautiful witch in the world and I still wouldn't care.''

''Whatever.'' Blaise looked away, bored by the conversation.

Hermione rubbed her neck as it began to prickle unpleasantly. It was as though…yep, someone was watching her. Malfoy's cold grey eyes were staring at her from the Slytherin table, slightly narrowed. She turned back to her friends and faked laughter, trying to act as though she wasn't bothered by his behaviour. After all, if he knew that she was worried, he would never let up on her.

This was perfectly true, but at the same time, there was another facet to Malfoy's behaviour. It didn't make any sense to him that Hermione had come back from the summer holidays without her two best friends. He couldn't see why Potter and Weasley had decided to dump Granger on her own, especially with the Dark Lord on the rise. Didn't they know that Granger would be the first in the firing line? Not that it bothered him, he'd quite like to be watching. But it did mean that something unusual was likely to happen and he quite wanted to be around when it happened.

More to the point, if he could stop the Golden Trio (or at least one part of it), he would definitely win back some of the favour that he had lost after the disaster that was Dumbledore's death. So, when he saw Hermione leaving the hall with her friends, he knocked back the rest of his pumpkin juice, and followed them. Waiting until they split up, he followed Hermione quietly, as she walked up the deserted corridors. He watched as she changed from the happy, confident Head Girl to a scared teenager, avoiding the larger patches of shadow that the flickering candlelight spread.

Slipping up the corridor faster and faster, he was just a pace behind her when one of the suits of armour turned its head, making a loud creaking noise. Hermione's head whipped around, and her eyes widened as she gasped, taking in the sight of Draco in such close proximity to her. Draco cursed himself, not even knowing what he had been planning to do.

''What do you want?'' Hermione had raised her chin defiantly as she spat out the words.

''Why so hostile Mudblood?'' Draco jeered.

''Don't you dare talk to me like that! You're the one who was sneaking up behind me!''

''What the hell gives you the right to talk to me like that?'' Draco's voice got lower and silky, like a cat preparing to pounce.

''Don't try and intimidate me Malfoy.'' Hermione met his eyes levelly, willing herself not to show any sign of fear.

''But it works so well.'' Draco raised his hand towards her and smirked as she flinched. ''So much for Gryffindor courage Mudblood.''

''You know what Malfoy? Slytherins are meant to be intelligent, so why the hell do you act like such a complete idiot? Do you get some kind of thrill out of it?''

Draco's eyes narrowed in bemusement momentarily. ''I'm not acting like an idiot.'' He remembered himself again and drew himself up to his full six feet. ''And you do not have the right to call me an idiot.''

''You know what Malfoy, you can go screw yourself. You've been insulting me like that for so long that I've actually stopped caring, I just don't listen to anything you say anymore. So screw you.''

She turned on her heel and made to walk away, but Draco reached forward and grabbed her wrist, spinning her around. She looked at her arm where he was holding it in shock, and then stared up into his face with loathing, all her fear forgotten. Draco snarled down at her. ''Don't you dare walk away from me, I'm not done with you yet.''

Hermione thought about trying to respond, but decided he wasn't worth it. She shook her arm, trying to get him off her, but he just tightened his grip, crushing the small bones in her wrists. Tensing, she swung her other arm up as hard as she could, landing a slap across his face that left a loud crack resonating through the empty corridor. In shock, Malfoy let go, and Hermione was gone, dashing along the corridors before he could respond.

She locked herself in her room, and slumped onto the bed, not wanting to think about what had just happened. Draco on the other hand could do nothing but think about it. Looking in his bedroom mirror, he could see that one side of his face had gone entirely red from where he had been slapped, and a small white hand print was emblazoned on him. He was gingerly prodding the skin when Blaise barged into the room.

''How the hell did you get in here?'' Draco glared at him.

''Never mind that, what happened to you?'' Blaise laughed and slumped into one of the chairs.

''She slapped me.''

''I saw you following her. Admit it Draco, you're hooked.''

''I'm not.''

''Intrigued at the least.''

''Maybe, remotely interested in when she suddenly got a backbone. I told her not to go and she hit me and ran.'' Draco pointed his wand at his cheek and reduced the swelling.

''You mean, a girl ignored what the great Draco Malfoy told her to do?'' Blaise widened his eyes sarcastically. ''Of course she has a backbone, she's in Gryffindor.''

''Well I don't like it.''

''Break it then. And I don't mean literally.''

Draco was about to shoot down his friend, but then thought about. That could work. At least it would pass the time until he could leave Hogwarts. And like Granger had said, he had been insulting her in the same way for a very long time. It would be good to shake things up a little. But how to do it?

''Well then, what are your suggestions for breaking her backbone? I'm intrigued.'' Draco sat in a chair opposite Blaise, lounging elegantly.

''Why not be nice to her? That's the one thing she won't know how to deal with.''

''True…but, being nice to Granger?''

''Come on, it's all for the greater good, isn't it?''

Draco nodded. ''So, I'm going to make Granger want to do everything I say, and I'm going to do it by being nice to her?''

''Why not? I doubt you'll be able to manage it.''

''That sounds like a bet to me.'' Draco's eyes lit up. He loved a challenge.

''I'll bet you twenty galleons you can't make her yours by the time this weather stops.''

''Unfair, it could stop tomorrow.''

''Nah, forecasts say that we've got at least two more weeks of this.''

''I don't know…''

''Is the wonderful Malfoy backing out?''

Draco sat up and grinned. ''You know what Zabini, you should just go and put those galleons in my room right now. You're on.''

_**AN: Come on guys, you know what to do. That review box has your name written all over it!**_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

Hermione flung the window open and a bedraggled brown owl swooped in, not Hedwig or Pig in case the owls were recognised, but it carried a letter from one of the boys nonetheless. Hermione untied the letter from the owl's leg and offered it the crust of the slice of toast she had been eating. While the owl wearily lowered its head and began to eat, Hermione unrolled the parchment and began to read.

All it gave her was the latest details of what Ron had been doing (useful considering that Snape had banned wizarding radios from the school), and how Harry was helping the Order. Apparently there had been small skirmishes but obviously nothing major. Hermione smiled as her eyes ran over the scribbled words, reading like a train of thought straight from Harry's head. She pulled out her quill so she could write a response, but stopped straight away. What was she meant to tell them? They hadn't asked for any help, so she couldn't give them that. She was just going to her lessons, listening to the students who were aware of what was going on moaning. She wasn't doing anything helpful, and she couldn't see them being fascinated by the latest details of her Transfiguration class given what they were doing.

She heard Malfoy slamming the door to their common room as he came in and shivered slightly. Closing the window again, she tried to tell herself that she was cold because she had left the window open with the rain and the wind coming in. But there was no denying it, Malfoy scared her. He was so different to the Gryffindor boys that she had grown up. Even though Ron and Harry were now taller than her, and able to hold a conversation over her head, she still sometimes felt that they were still the eleven year old boys that she had made friends with. But Malfoy was so unbelievably different to the arrogant little boy that had told Harry that he didn't want to get involved with certain types of wizarding families. Even though his mentality was exactly the same: bullying and superior, he had a completely different way of getting what he wanted. Instead of barging straight into any situation, he insinuated himself and his thoughts in, making the person want exactly the same as he wanted. It was more dangerous, thought Hermione, because you could end up entirely unaware of what he was doing. At least when he barrelled in, you knew exactly what he was up to.

That was the other thing that worried her. She had slapped Draco, hard. And he hadn't done anything back. Not even any jibes. It didn't make any sense. After she had punched him in the third year, the level of violence in his speech towards her had risen almost unbearably. But now, whenever, he saw her, his eyes met hers until they passed each other. And she couldn't look away – his eyes were hypnotising. They were cruel, cold and a grey that she resolutely told herself was horrible, but knowing deep down that it was a colour so different to what she knew it was attractive. Harry's bright green eyes, Ron's deep blue ones, neither of them had the same depth as Malfoy's. Different shades clustered in his iris, creating a beautiful stormy effect…Hermione shook her head. Time to focus.

She quickly dashed off a reply to her friends, trying to make her work sound interesting, begging them to stay safe, telling them how much she wished she was with them. Sending the reluctant owl back out into the gale, she flicked through a copy of the Daily Prophet. The prophecies about the weather were getting worse and worse. Now the weather was expected to go on for over three weeks. Hermione had no doubt that it was somehow being augmented by Voldemort relentlessly massing dementors.

Feeling her stomach rumbling, she walked towards the door and pressed her ear against the solid oak. She couldn't hear anything and opened it, promptly letting out a short scream. Draco had been standing, perfectly quietly in front of her door.

''What are you doing?'' She gasped at him.

''Waiting to speak to you.'' He sounded perfectly calm, as though it wasn't unusual for him to be waiting outside girls' bedrooms. No, thought Hermione bitchily, he was usually inside them by now.

''What could you possibly have to say to a dirty little Mudblood like me?'' she asked sarcastically, beginning to edge towards the corridor. Draco immediately stepped forward, blocking her way forward.

''Come on Granger, don't be like that.''

''Like what Malfoy? You've been absolutely vile to me since we've met! And now you've taken to lurking outside my bedroom? Give me a break!'' Hermione tried to move past him again.

Draco's hands shot out and landed on the wall either side of his head. Hermione's eyes widened and she gasped as Draco leaned in closer to her, his animal grace more apparent now than it ever had been. ''What if I don't want to give you a break? And people act differently when they're trying to cover up their true feelings.''

Draco's voice had dropped to a pitch that was so sexy Hermione was almost forgetting who he was. Her nerve endings were twitching in a way that wasn't entirely unpleasant, and the soft puffs of air that accompanied his speech were gently caressing her cheek as he murmured in her ear. She closed her eyes for a second and pulled herself together enough to laugh at him.

''So you've been absolutely bloody to me because you've fancied me since first year? Whatever Malfoy. Get your hands away from me and stop polluting my air space.''

But Draco just leaned in even closer so that she could feel his lips moving against her neck as he spoke. ''I don't think you mean that Granger.''

''You'll be the last person to know what I mean Malfoy. You don't know me well enough to make those kind of judgements about me.'' But Hermione's voice was beginning to lose all the fire in it, and it was lacking conviction.

''But I bet you'd love me to know all about you? You here, all alone. Come on Hermione, what could be so bad about us just being friends?'' Her name rippled off his tongue into the air, and the fog that was Hermione's brain thought that her name had never been said so seductively.

''My friends don't treat me like this.'' Her voice was low and she was staring fixedly at the wall over his shoulder. The idea of reaching for her wand didn't even occur to her – her spine was tingling far too sensually for her to think of the most normal thing.

''Well, we could have a friendship with…'benefits'.'' Draco's head dropped a little closer to her, and she could feel his soft hair against her cheek.

Draco for his part was delighted. Hermione was just standing between his arms, and while he was of course just doing this for a bet, he could smell the coconut scent of her shampoo, and her skin was smooth…well, to be general, it wasn't as bad an experience as he thought it would have been. He dropped a little kiss against her neck, feeling her blood beating quickly through her neck.

He nipped her skin between his teeth gently and heard her suck in air, desperately trying to retain some sense of equilibrium. He smiled into her neck and begin to kiss along her jaw. He drew closer to her mouth and suddenly her hands shot up against his chest and tried to push him away. He smiled – he was a quidditch player, she was a relatively short girl. But then…the last thing he needed was to be accused of sexual assault. He gently put one hand around the back of her neck, curling it gently around the nape and leaving his thumb up by her ear. The pressure didn't release and she kept pushing at him. He looked down at her.

''Hey.''

''Go away.'' She looked up at him, her eyes wide but no longer angry. She was scared, Draco realised. ''Just leave me alone.''

''You don't need to be scared.'' Draco sounded as though he was talking to a small child or animal. ''I'm not going to hurt you.''

''You've already done that, I'm not going to let you compound the damage.''

''Hermione, shush.'' With the thumb that was resting on her face, he gently smoothed her cheek. ''I'm sorry.''

''That was utterly insincere. Go away.''

Draco decided that it was pointless trying to talk to her and bent down, dropping a gentle kiss on her mouth as she was trying to formulate another protest. She froze.

''Don't.'' He looked at her. ''Stop analysing Hermione.''

''Why do you keep calling me that?''

''It's your name, isn't it?''

''You've never called me that before.'' She still wasn't able to glare at him, too unnerved by this turn of events.

''Well, I'd rather call you that than Mudblood. If that's ok with you.'' He didn't wait for a response, just dropped another kiss on her mouth, lingering slightly longer this time.

When he pulled away, Hermione pressed her fingers to her mouth in puzzlement. ''You shouldn't do that.''

''You can't stop what's natural. This has been coming for a long time.'' Draco blithely lied to her, more preoccupied with stroking her face and watching as she bit her plump lower lip. He tightened his grip slightly on her neck and pressed a kiss onto her mouth. For a moment, the hands pushed at his chest again, but he ignored them and kept moving his mouth against hers. Then, the hands stopped pushing and instead gripped handfuls of his shirt and pulled him closer. Draco grinned against her mouth – it had been almost too easy – sorry Blaise, you've lost your money. He tipped her head back, deepening the angle of the kiss. His mouth opened and closed against hers, soft lips pressing against each other, as though they were whispering secrets to each other.

After what seemed like a lifetime and at the same time a single second, Hermione realised that the man whose body was entwined with hers, pressing her against a wall was Draco Malfoy, and she quickly pushed him away.

''Come on Hermione.'' His eyes were dilated with lust, and his normally perfect blond hair was ruffled where her hands had been raking through it as she tried to get closer to him.

''No.'' She shook her head, trying to get away from the mist of lust that was covering her rational thought process. ''It was only a kiss. Kisses don't mean anything.''

Before Draco could respond with anything, she was gone, running down the halls to dinner. He rested his back against the wall. Now this was a challenge. Family mottoes could be overcome easily, but a girl who didn't want something to do with Draco…that was new.

_**AN: Not an amazingly long chapter, I know, but I thought we could do a little and often response! So please leave me a review, let me know where you think this story could go, any feedback at all is appreciated. If you're logged in and my account will let me, I will respond to your reviews, just to make you feel appreciated – so go on, have a blast! Kisses, Petitesorciere **_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three

Draco was once again lurking around corridors, trying to get close enough to talk to Hermione. It deeply insulted his sense of honour to be skulking like some kind of desperate tramp, when there were normal, 'nice' girls falling at his feet every time he walked into the dining hall.

He ran his hands through his hair, the silvery-blond strands falling back onto his cheekbones. Would Granger ever come out of her room? He could have sworn that she was just sitting in there to avoid him.

Of course, you and I know that that was exactly what Hermione was doing. She had absolutely no intention of leaving her room when she knew that Malfoy was out there. Did he really think that she would be so easily trapped again? A simple spell and she knew when he was standing in the corridor outside her bedroom, and she had no intention of coming out until he was gone. She settled back into her window seat with her book. The rain pounded against the windows and the fire flickered in the grate. Hermione smiled. She could outwait him, any day.

Hermione was beginning to get impatient. Did that boy not have any bodily functions? She had been doing the spell every ten minutes and he was still hovering. He didn't even look like he was moving, just sitting on the floor opposite her bedroom. He was probably too busy smirking to move, Hermione thought, thinking that he had her trapped. Although, if she thought about it, she was really trapped. She frowned and rubbed her forehead. She was just sitting here, waiting for him to go. That's definitely a version of being trapped she told herself.

If Hermione was honest with herself though, one of the main reasons why she didn't want to go out there was because of 'that' evening. Every girl who's ever kissed a guy that she shouldn't have will be able to empathise easily. There's the most stomach wrenching sense of nausea, and adrenalin begins pumping as you get the urge to run away. And then Hermione couldn't deny the fact that she had wanted to be kissing him. When he wasn't talking, just kissing, he was spectacularly attractive. And his hair, and his skin and his smell…Hermione slapped a hand to forehead to try and stop her thought process. That kind of thinking had ended up with her entwined with one of her worst enemies, and it couldn't be repeated. It wouldn't be repeated, she told herself sternly.

Bearing her new resolution in mind, Hermione walked over to her door, wrenched it open and then affected surprise when she saw Draco lounging on the floor. If he had been an animal, he would have been a panther lazing in a tree, just waiting for the right moment to attack.

''Oh. Malfoy. Lurking outside my room again?'' Hermione's voice could have frozen water at fifty paces.

''I'm making a habit of it, aren't I?'' He rose effortlessly to his feet, and all the superiority that Hermione had had whilst standing above him was instantly lost. He towered over her, six foot three to her five foot six. The fact that he hadn't shot her down with a well placed jibe also unsettled her.

''Any reason why?'' Hermione moved straight past him so that he couldn't trap her against the wall again, and began walking along the corridor.

''Maybe because I want to talk to you and you just run away when I see you.'' Draco was pacing alongside her without any discernible effort, even though Hermione was taking strides as long as she could without seeming ridiculous.

''Don't be stupid.''

''So you aren't trying to run away from me now?''

''No. I'm going to dinner.''

''Granger you've been hiding so long you've lost track of time. It's nine o'clock – dinner's over.''

Hermione ground to a halt and checked her watch. He was telling the truth and she looked back along the corridor that suddenly seemed very dark, and very deserted, and very narrow. Draco looked at her and saw the panic clear in her eyes.

''I told you last night Hermione, I'm not going to hurt you.''

''And I'm not even going to give you the chance. I'm going back to my room. Please don't hover outside my door.''

Draco pulled out his wand and began to move it, intending to immobilise her, but Hermione was way ahead of him. ''Expelliarmus!''

Draco looked at his wand, lying on the floor behind Hermione.

''Did you honestly think I wouldn't have my wand this time?'' Hermione's chin was raised determinedly, but Draco could see her hand shaking slightly.

He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. ''You really are scared of me, aren't you?''

''No!'' The shout sounded just a little bit too desperate and Hermione knew it. ''I'm going now.''

''Hermione…''

''No!'' The sob caught in her throat and she stopped until she had control of herself again. ''Don't try and be nice to me because I know that you're up to something, and I don't want any part in it!''

Draco stepped forward, genuinely puzzled at how adamant she was. His bet and wounded pride were forgotten temporarily, as were his Pureblood principles. ''Hermione…''

''No!'' Hermione began to cast the full body-binding curse on him, but Draco immediately ran forward, dodging the flash of light.

Hermione turned and ran as fast as she could down the corridor, forgetting the fact that Draco was unarmed and she wasn't. Smoothly, Draco ran up behind her, and with a flying tackle, sent her crashing to the floor. He wrenched her wand out of her hand and threw it to one side.

She was squirming around underneath him and eventually they ended up face to face, Hermione staring up into Draco's impassive face.

''That was not a friendly thing to do Granger.'' Draco had remembered everything now, and was entirely in control. His voice had lost the few warm tones that it had had when the entire encounter had started.

''Get off me scum!'' Hermione wriggled again and Draco's brain blanked out involuntarily, as he truly appreciated how lush and warm she was. Then, he quickly zoned back in as Hermione managed to get a hand free and hit him around the back of the head.

Quickly, he scrabbled around until he found both her wrists, grabbed them and forced them above her head. Hermione would have kept wriggling, but at this point Draco was kneeling above her, in very close proximity to a certain area. And she hardly wanted to draw attention to that.

Draco looked down at her, her face tipped to the side but a scowl clearly visible on it. She seemed to be frozen, and he leaned forward and kissed her cheek, remembering his bet.

''Piss off Malfoy.''

''Call me Draco.'' His voice had taken on the same silky, seductive tone that it had had the previous night, and Hermione wished that she could clap her hands over her ears and drown it out. It was his siren song.

''No. Let me get up, or I'll report you.''

''If I don't let you up, you won't be able to report me.'' Draco's fingers caressed the back of her hand.

''Fine! Draco! There, are you happy? Now let me get up!'' Hermione was dangerously close to bursting into tears.

''Come on, don't be like that.'' Draco's voice was so soothing that Hermione could feel her heart rate slowing slightly.

''Please…''

''Please what?''

''Please just let me get up. Please.''

I wonder if this would count as getting her begging? Draco wondered idly, and decided that it probably wasn't what Blaise meant. ''And what's my name?''

''Please Draco. Please just let me get up.'' A tear rolled off Hermione's cheek and splashed onto the floor.

Draco let her wrists go but stayed over her. ''And I think you owe me an apology.''

''You owe me one too!'' Hermione was already trying to wriggle out from underneath him.

''Hermione!'' His voice had a note in it that brought back all of Hermione's fear.

''I'm sorry!'' The words weren't sobbed this time though. Draco was slightly amazed at how quickly she could get herself back under control. Most girls began crying and didn't stop for ages.

''Then I am too. Come on.'' And he stood up and offered a hand to her. Hermione thought about pushing it away but the look on his face told her that it probably was for the best if she took it. He pulled her up, fully intending to leave their interaction at that, not wanting to push his luck, but as she stood, Hermione's foot twisted awkwardly.

She immediately doubled over, whimpering slightly.

''What did you do?''

''Bent my foot back the wrong way.'' Hermione was digging her nails hard into her hand as she limped over to the wall and leant against it. Her foot was throbbing, and hurting even when she didn't put any weight on it.

''Madam Pomfrey will probably be asleep now. Do you want to wake her?'' Draco looked at her, holding her wand out to her, having retrieved his first.

''No, it'll be fine in the morning.'' Hermione gritted her teeth and began to walk.

Draco began to walk beside her, slightly irritated at how slowly they were going until he saw a bead of blood glistening on Hermione's lip from where she had bitten her lip hard. ''Come on.''

''Come on what?'' Hermione didn't look at him, focusing on where her feet were going.

''I'll carry you.'' Of course, this wasn't any philanthropic gesture on Draco's part, simply a strategy to win his bet. Girls were a sucker for being carried, and Hermione would definitely soften when she saw how nice he could be.

But it wasn't to be. Hermione looked scornfully at him and carried on walking.

''Granger. Hermione. Come on.''

''No.''

''Why not?''

''Because you trapped me against a wall last night and you've pinned me against the floor tonight. Do you honestly think I'm going to jump into your arms?''

''I'm not asking you to jump.'' Draco dropped back a step and then came forward again, hooking one arm under her arms and another under her knees so that she was cradled in his arms.

''Let go of me!'' she hissed.

''No. You're hurt.''

''Chivalry does not suit you Malfoy! Put me down!'' Draco ignored her and began walking along the corridor, careful not to jolt her too much. Hermione shut up after a minute, sensing how futile it was to carry on complaining. After what seemed like a lifetime, they arrived back at their shared common room, and Hermione looked towards her bedroom door longingly. ''Thank you, I suppose.''

''Not very enthusiastic Hermione.'' Draco reproached her and began walking towards her bedroom door.

''No! Put me down now!'' But Draco had already pushed the door open and marched inside. The fire was down to ashes now, that were glowing softly, casting a dim light over the room.

Draco placed her gently on her neatly-made bed and smiled down at her. ''See, I didn't kill you.''

''I wasn't worried that you would.'' Hermione raised her chin so that she could look at him properly and nearly fainted at how gorgeous he looked in the firelight.

''Then why are you so scared of me?''

''Because you've been horrible to me for so long and…'' Hermione could have kicked herself. Not only did she sound about ten years old, she had nearly said that he was so manly that it scared her.

Draco raised an eyebrow inquiringly but didn't push it when she didn't finish her sentence. Instead, he pulled together all of his resources and looked at her. Sitting down on the bed, he smiled. ''How's the ankle?''

''Fine. It'll be fine.'' Hermione smiled weakly and turned her head. Draco admired the way that the light caused a thousand different colours to appear in her glossy hair.

Hermione opened her mouth to say something and immediately choked on her words as Draco's lips landed on hers. She began to pull back but his hand slid around the back of her head, twining his fingers into her curls. ''Stop thinking about it. When you don't think about it, you enjoy it, I know you do.'' He whispered against her mouth and felt her press almost imperceptibly against him. And it isn't too bad for me, he thought.

Hermione forgot who she was kissing, where she was, who she was, that her ankle hurt, everything. All she was aware of was soft lips moving against hers, a tongue exploring her mouth, fingers stroking her hair, soft breath and kisses against her neck, small bites on her ear lobes. A strong back underneath her hands, stubble appearing on the previously velvety cheeks, a citrus cologne enveloping her. Just as she thought that she might actually melt in ecstasy, Draco pressed one final kiss against her mouth, got up and left in silence.

Hermione blinked several times, returning to herself. She flopped down against her pillows and sighed. ''What the hell am I doing?'' she whispered, but there was no answer.

Draco wandered back to his room, the taste of Hermione still in his mouth. He grinned slightly. Maybe Blaise hadn't been entirely mistaken when he said that Granger was gorgeous, worth looking at properly. This bet might not have an entirely unpleasant outcome – at least, for him.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four 

Hermione scribbled her name at the bottom of the letter and turned to the owl. '''I'm sorry, but you're going to have to go back out there.'' The owl hooted softly and stuck out her leg resignedly. ''It's no use giving me that look,'' Hermione continued, tying the letter onto the owl's leg. ''This letter needs to go to Ron and Harry, and you're the only one who can take it.''

Hermione could have sworn the owl rolled its eyes and then flapped out of the window. She watched for a second as rain splashed onto the windowsill and then banged the window shut. Turning back to her room, she wondered what she could do now. She had done all her homework, plus extra reading. She had tidied her room, written to her family, to Ron and Harry…were there any Head duties she had forgotten? Hermione snorted to herself. Of course there weren't. She had had to make sure she was thoroughly up to date seeing as Malfoy was so obviously absent from all of the meetings. Although, speaking of Head duties, she had organised a trip to Hogsmeade, and it wouldn't be leaving for another ten minutes. She grabbed her cloak and her bag and made her way down to the reception where umbrellas were being brought out and cloaks wrapped around.

When they eventually set off into the rain, Hermione let her thoughts drift back to Malfoy, now that it seemed safe to do so. The rain pelted her face, getting underneath her umbrella. She thought about casting a charm and then realised that she was enjoying the sensation. Since her kisses with Malfoy, it seemed as though her senses had been heightened: every touch seemed magnified. She had almost gasped when Ginny had briefly hugged her the other day, but thankfully no one had noticed anything.

Malfoy hadn't been seen since carrying her up to her room, and while Hermione was glad that he wasn't lurking around outside her room anymore, she couldn't help but feeling slightly angry that he gave up that easily. Two kisses? That was all he wanted from her? Smiling sarcastically, she told herself that she was _honoured_ to have had the Great Malfoy's attention on her for so long. Merlin, she had probably increased his arrogance levels phenomenally by succumbing so easily to him. But then, thinking about the gorgeous way his lips moved against hers, how his hands cradled her head and stroked the back of his neck…Hermione sucked in a slightly deeper breath than usual and tried to regain some sense of decorum.

Noticing that they were practically in Hogsmeade, she dismissed Malfoy from her mind and began making lists of what she needed. New quills, new ingredients for potions…

An hour later, she was laden down with bags from various shops, with all her new materials for school. Beginning to make her way back towards the hill that led to Hogwarts, her eye was suddenly caught by a shop – one for young witches' clothing. It was one of those shops that she had always looked at but never bothered to go in, always dismissing it as too expensive. But hey, she did have quite a bit of money saved, and her parents gave her money for school equipment…'so why not?' Hermione asked herself.

Pushing the door open, she looked around. The shop was brightly lit but she couldn't see anyone else in there. Leaving her bags by the door, along with her dripping umbrella, she began to flick through the rails of clothing. Unexpectedly, an assistant appeared next to her. ''Are you ok there?''

''Fine thanks.'' Hermione smiled and bent her head again, but the assistant didn't seem to want to leave. ''We have that in a different colour, that would really flatter your colouring.'' Hermione smiled, resigned herself to the fact that she would not be able to browse in peace, and let the assistant pick out what seemed to be half the shop's stock. To her surprise, most of it did actually look quite good – a departure from her usual jeans and t-shirts. Thinking ruefully of how much this would deplete her savings, she paid the assistant and looked wearily at her bags.

''Good luck getting that lot back.'' The assistant smiled sympathetically at her, but not offering to help. Hermione grabbed them up, no free hands for her umbrella, stepped out into the rain and began to make her way back to Hogwarts. The rain hit her hard, streaming into her hair, down her face. Her breath rose in clouds in front of her, and dark seemed to be falling more and more rapidly. Just as Hermione was beginning to get nervous and thinking that she ought to shift her bags so that she could get to her wand more easily, someone grabbed her from behind, seizing both of her upper arms.

She screamed loudly and dropped her bags, immediately looking for her wand, but she had already been spun around and was looking Malfoy in the face. He had cast a charm on himself to stop the rain hitting him, and he was smirking at Hermione's reaction to him. Her eyes narrowed.

''Do you ever do anything other than sneak up on me?'' she spat, shrivelling contempt pouring from her voice.

Malfoy didn't seem to care. ''You haven't been screaming the last couple of times Granger.''

''You just grabbed me from behind in a dark street. What the hell did you expect me to do, you idiot?'' Hermione carried on, berating Malfoy with every curse she could think of, hating herself for making such a big deal out of it. ''It's not funny Malfoy! It never was funny, but it's getting worse! Just leave me alone, for Merlin's sake!''

''Shut up Granger.'' Malfoy snorted contemptuously. ''You can't pretend you're not enjoying this.''

''How dare you?!'' Hermione was close to reaching a pitch that only dogs could hear.

''Oh come on, don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about! Last night, I could have screwed you and you wouldn't have done anything to stop me.''

Hermione's cheeks flushed, shocked at the fact that he would bring that up. ''Shut up Malfoy.'' She turned around, levitated her bags up, not caring who would see her, and made to walk off, but Draco spun her around again.

''I'm not finished with you.''

''Well, I'm finished with you, so get lost.''

''Watch your mouth Granger.''

''I'll say what I want. You do not control me.''

''I will in the end.'' Draco looked at her and thought how fetching she looked. The rain was pouring through her hair, leaving it gleaming like a wet otter. Her nose was slightly pink in the cold, and her eyes were wide in the dim light. A rain drop landed on her lip and she unconsciously licked it away. Draco grinned as he saw the small pink tip caress the curve of her lip. She realised what she had done and blushed again.

''You won't be getting anything off me.''

Draco didn't even bother to answer, just grabbed her, pulled her close and began feasting on her lips. But Hermione's mouth didn't move at all. She stood there, completely motionless, as though…Draco frowned slightly. It was as though she was bored. He pulled away and looked at her.

''Got that out of your system?'' She asked scornfully and turned around, walking away before he could riposte.

An hour later, Hermione was sitting in the shared common room in front of the fire, wearing a new pale pink top, with a brighter pink ribbon that tied under her bust, and a pair of dark blue jeans. She was quietly immersed in her book when Draco walked in. Clearly his charm had worn off at some point because his silver blond hair was slicked back with water. His eyes seemed unusually clear, and from Hermione's seated position, he looked commandingly tall as he stared at her.

She sighed and turned back to her book, pretending to read. It had required all her willpower not to kiss him back earlier, and the last thing she needed was him standing in front of her looking tall, manly and sexy. Draco slumped in an armchair opposite her, and she could feel his eyes on her face. I'm not going anywhere, she told herself, I've turned him down once, and I can do it again.

''Granger.'' His voice made her jump.

''What?'' she didn't bother lifting her eyes from the page.

''You've been pretending to read the same page for the last ten minutes.''

''So?'' Hermione lifted her eyes and wished she hadn't. He was still in his jacket, dripping wet and looking so unbelievably attractive she couldn't believe that a thousand girls weren't hammering on the door at that moment.

''Just talk to me. Why won't you kiss me? I know you want to.''

''Leaving aside your enormous arrogance, what I want and what I do are completely different things.'' Hermione put her book to one side and stared back at him, slowly losing herself in the stormy grey eyes.

''So you admit that you want to kiss me?'' Draco seized on one part of the speech.

''I didn't say that.''

''I know you're thinking it though. Come on Hermione, don't act like you don't want to.'' His voice had a cruel tone in it that Hermione couldn't help shivering at. And yet, while it was scary, there was something in it that was undeniably attractive. As soon as she thought that, she leapt up from the sofa.

''Where are you going?'' He had risen up slightly in his chair.

''My room. Try not to lurk around outside it, ok?'' Hermione kept her back turned.

''Wait.'' Draco's voice was soft but commanding. ''You aren't going anywhere.''

''Shut up Malfoy.''

''I asked you to call me Draco last night.''

''You called me Granger earlier.''

''I just called you Hermione.''

''So you call me Hermione when you want something?''

''We've been through this _Hermione_, You want it too.''

''Well you aren't getting it, _Draco._ So go and talk to one of those 'nice pureblood girls'. I'm sure your daddy wouldn't be too pleased if he knew what you were doing.'' Hermione had gradually been working her way over to the door, too scared to leave straight away, and enjoying the argument too much.

''I don't want them. I want you.'' Draco's simple statement caused fingers of lust to run up and down Hermione's spine. ''Come here Hermione.''

She turned around slowly, and looked at him. He looked at her, soft light glimmering on her face. Her eyes were wide and her lips parted. Draco gave her a mirthless smile. ''I don't want to kiss you Draco.''

''Who the hell do you think you're fooling?'' Draco raised his hand and crooked his finger. Hermione didn't even think about it but walked slowly towards him. Draco watched her hips swaying slightly, and remained seated. ''I've initiated every kiss we've had Hermione. You've been enjoying them, I know you have, and now its time for you to kiss me back. I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be brave.''

Hermione's spine stiffened slightly, but all her resolve slipped away as she looked at Draco. If she was a lion, he was a panther, and he was more dangerous. There was no way she could leave, she told herself, panicking, wondering what she would do.

''No one's going to stop you, no one's even going to see you Hermione. Just do it.'' Draco rasped at her, crooking his finger again. Hermione wasn't able to think any more, just stare at Draco in the firelight. Her sane brain was screaming at her to leave, to get out now while she was still physically capable, but unfortunately her sane brain was overwhelmed by the sensory overload being experienced by the rest of her body.

Draco watched impassively as she came towards him, placed a knee on either side of his legs and straddled him. She leant into him and tentatively touched the sides of his face, running soft fingers down to his lips. Draco's eyes watched hers, as they focused on his lips. Her breathing picked up, he could feel the warm, mint-scented little puffs caressing his face. Slowly, she lowered her face to his, still stroking the sides of his face. Draco didn't move at all, not wanting to make it easy for her. The bet was completely gone from his mind. The only thing that he could focus on was Hermione, her gorgeous face coming towards him, her slim body leaning into him.

After what seemed like an age, her lips gently brushed his. He waited for a minute, letting her do the work and then opened his mouth, needing her more than he had ever needed a girl. She matched him in desperation, their passion making them cling to each other.

''Don't make me feel like this.'' She whispered against his mouth, raking her fingers back through his wet hair. ''I can't take it, we can't do this, please Draco, please don't make me feel like this.''

''Don't beg me to do that. That isn't what I need from you.'' The words left Draco's mouth before he could think about it, but the fierce look in Hermione's eyes showed that she hadn't thought about it, that all she wanted to do was lose herself in him, not to have to think about what she was doing.

And for once, Draco did something for someone else, and entwined his fingers in her soft hair, pulling her mouth into his so that she wouldn't have to think.

**_Whew...(fans herself and blushes a little). Well that was fun to write hehe. Thanks for reading chapter four everyone. I hope you enjoyed it. Of course, even if you didn't, I'd like to know! Write me a review, even if it's to say that you think something can be improved. Obviously, I love reading positive things, but no matter what you write, I will write you a reply (unless you leave an anonymous review, in which case, I can't). Also, I just thought I'd do a little bit of shameless self promotion. If you have enjoyed this story so far, you might want to have a look at my other story, Conflict and Conspiracy. It's another Dramione, it's already finished, and the comments that I've had for that have all been really positive, so I must have done something right! But anyway...thanks for reading, thanks in advance for reviewing, and look forward to the neext chapter! kisses, petitesorciere._**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five

Blaise walked into the common room and grinned at Draco. ''Haven't seen you for a while.''

Draco scowled at him, putting his quill to one side. ''What do you want?''

''No kind word for an old friend? My, you've gotten bitter.'' Blaise pulled a chair out opposite Draco and sat down. ''So you've had a week. How's your campaign going?''

''Why on earth would I want to talk to you about that?''

''That means you haven't succeeded yet.'' Blaise laughed at him. ''This must be a record – one whole week and you haven't managed to make a girl beg.''

''Actually I have. I've pinned her underneath me and made her beg to be allowed to get up. And then last night, we were kissing and she 'begged' me not to make her feel what she was feeling. So you can piss off.'' Draco picked up his quill again and turned back to his essay. But Blaise wasn't to be deterred.

''So how come you haven't claimed?''

''Because even though you were too stupid to specify what she had to beg for, I have some sense of ethics where bets are concerned. I'm going by what I'm assuming you meant.'' Draco added another sentence to his essay and blew at the ink to dry it. ''Granger isn't begging to do what I want her to do yet, therefore I haven't quite broken her, therefore I haven't won the bet. Yet.''

''But she's interested?''

''I got her straddling me yesterday. Because I told her to. So she does what I want, but she isn't begging to do it yet. I've got my strategy planned.''

''And you're enjoying yourself?''

''Sexual favours, and the chance of winning money? What's not to enjoy?''

''And you admit that Granger is gorgeous?'' Blaise grinned at him, pulled the parchment over to him and began reading it. ''Shit, I didn't put that in mine.''

''I admit that she has a certain charm.'' Draco's mind involuntarily flashed back to the sensation of Hermione across him, her lips touching his gently, then the embrace growing in passion and intensity. ''Charm will do.''

''She must be attractive, or you wouldn't be dragging this out. You would have got it over with as quickly as possible, like when I dared you to kiss Eloise Midgen.''

''You don't know what the hell you're talking about Blaise.''

''And yet that got your attention.''

''Of course it got my attention. She's a Mudblood. I am, as we have discussed many times, a Pureblood. To imply that I find some part of her attractive is insulting to be honest.''

''Draco, ditch the party line. Just admit that you find her attractive.''

Draco tipped his head back and stared at the ceiling. ''Ok, there is some part of her that I find intriguing.''

''Attractive.''

''Fine. Attractive.'' Draco let the words come out him as though they were being dragged up.

''Good lad. Now, what's so good about her? Something must be interesting you.''

''This goes no further than this room Zabini.'' Draco warned him and sat forward. ''She turned me down first. And that has me interested. I know that she wants me, but she would put her morals above lust? Something's not right there.'' He chuckled softly to himself and then looked straight back up into Blaise's smirking face. ''And she's a bloody fantastic kisser. If Potter and Weasley didn't get in there ages ago, I need to now.''

Blaise leaned forward as well. ''You're serious? She's really good?''

''Unbelievably. Now, you know that I'm a gentlemen in some cases and don't kiss and tell, but she really is undeniably good.''

Blaise leaned even closer, about to ask for more details, but at that point Hermione walked in. Her hair was loose around her shoulders and she was clutching a large book to her chest. As soon as she saw the two boys sitting at the table, her eyes widened and her white teeth began chewing on her soft lip. Draco's eyes narrowed, and a slight smile curved the corners of his lips.

''Hi.'' Her words sounded unnaturally loud in the quiet common room.

''Granger.'' Blaise greeted her. Draco just stared at her, and she felt all her resolve not to find him attractive slowly melting. ''We were just talking about you.''

Hermione had been intending to flee straight to her room, but she was frozen at that snippet of information. ''Oh?''

''Yeah. Draco was telling me what a fantastic kisser you are. Any chance I could have a go?'' Blaise smirked at her.

Hermione's cheeks flushed angrily, and without thinking about what she was doing, she flung her book to the floor and pulled out her wand. Not waiting for a response from Blaise, she cursed him, and left the room calmly.

Draco stood up and walked over to Blaise. She had cast a stinging hex, and now Blaise's entire face was coming up in angry blotches that were slowly swelling to obscure his features. He pulled Blaise to his feet. ''Don't ever do anything like that again, or I'll curse you.''

''I…''

''Don't bother Zabini. Just leave.'' Draco pointed at the door. ''And I wouldn't try and tell anyone that Granger did that to you. She'll come out of it better than you.''

''You've only got about two weeks left according to the forecasts. I'd get a move on if I were you.'' With that parting shot, Blaise walked out of the room, clutching at his face.

Draco waited until he heard the door slam shut and then turned towards Hermione's bedroom. Now he would have to gain back all that ground. He knocked on her door.

''Get lost Malfoy.''

''Listen, Hermione…''

''You are not getting that off me! So don't even bother trying.'' Her voice was completely expressionless.

Draco sighed. He would need to get even more serious in order to get back the ground that Blaise had lost him. ''I was lying last night when I said that I only called you Hermione when I want something. Come on, we live together, we could try and be civil to each other.''

''What planet are you living on?'' Her door opened a crack and she looked out scornfully at him. ''Do you actually need psychiatric help?''

''Let me in. Now.'' Draco's voice took on the steely note that Hermione despised, the one that made it virtually impossible for her to ignore him.

''No.'' She slammed the door shut and locked it, only to hear 'Alohomora' and see the door fly open again. ''What are you doing? Get out!''

Draco didn't bother answering her, just advanced on her. She backed away, and snarled at him. ''How dare you talk about me to Zabini?''

''Zabini brought you up, not me! He seems to be under the impression that you're gorgeous.'' Draco looked at her and could almost see where he was coming from. Her hair was hanging around her face in curls, and her eyes were angry. She looked fierce, but undeniably sexy.

''I don't care what that greasy little rat thinks of me!'' Hermione ranted. ''I don't want you talking about me! I don't want you near me! Get out of my room!''

She snatched up a glass that was on her desk and hurled it at his head. Draco reached out his hand and snatched it up, showing the benefit of hours of Quidditch practice. ''Why do you keep doing things to upset me?'' He looked at her, and widened his eyes as though hurt.

''Get out.'' She spat each word, infuriated beyond belief that he had caught the glass.

''No.''

''Why not? You've already got what you wanted from me!''

''Not yet I haven't.''

''Well, what do you want?''

''I need you to beg for me.'' Draco's face, cruel but handsome in the flickering light stared at her.

''It's not going to happen.''

''You've begged me to get off you. You've begged me to spare your feelings. Who's to say that I can't get you to do that? I know that you want me.''

''I don't…''

''Don't even bother trying to deny it.'' His retort was almost lazy.

''Fine! I like kissing you! But that's all it is – kissing! I don't want anything else to do with you! I hate you, I hate what you stand for, I hate your arrogance, I hate the way you treat me, I hate who you are!''

''And yet you want me.''

''Well you want me too, or you wouldn't be doing this.'' There was a note of triumph in Hermione's voice, and Draco thought about telling her that he was just doing this for a bet. But then…there was something so satisfactory about forcing her to capitulate, time and time again. It was worth carrying on, he decided.

''Of course I want you. I agree with Zabini.'' He dropped the words casually into the smouldering atmosphere. ''The only difference is, he can't do what I'm going to do.'' He stepped forward, moving closer and closer into her personal space. Reaching out a hand, he moved it towards her cheek,

She slapped it down viciously, not wanting to give in to him again, wanting to show some of the courage that her house was renowned for. But her treacherous hormones came into play…wasn't it a form of courage to call his bluff? To see how far he would dare to take it? But she couldn't think any more. With one hand he was holding both her wrists, essentially keeping her prisoner, asserting his dominance. He leaned towards her mouth, licking his lips hungrily.

Suddenly, Hermione rebelled. Hooking her leg around his ankle, she yanked viciously, sending him off balance and tumbling to the floor. He pulled her down with him, but she was expecting it and landed right, making sure that while he was on his back, she was upright. She stared down at him, perfectly aware that she had the upper hand, perfectly aware that she could do what she wanted. She grabbed his wrists and pulled them above his head, and then leaned down into him. ''Don't think you control me Malfoy. Because you most certainly don't.''

Malfoy looked up at her in amazement. Where had she got the nerve to act like that? Then he came to his senses. She was not meant to be in control. They were not even meant to be fighting for control. He was in control. He lunged forward, sending her toppling back, and pinned her down with his superior height and weight.

She opened her mouth to speak, but he pressed a finger to her lips – now was not the time for talking. That was past. He reached down and pressed a kiss against her lips. Without even thinking about it, she opened her mouth, letting his tongue slip inside. She could taste him, smell him, feel him. Every single part of her existence seemed to be wrapped up in him for the time that they kissed. He absorbed every single part of her.

And while Draco would never have admitted it, these were the moments that he stored away, that he thought of when he was bored in class. They were the snapshots that came to him when he looked at Hermione in her robes, flicking her curls off her face as she worked. They were what turned him away from other girls when they winked and pouted at him. Hermione, demure, sweet, warm, welcoming, completely fierce, was exerting a spell on him without even knowing it. He knew that he had her captivated, but the fact that she had managed to do the same to him, without even thinking about it? That was too bizarre. They were too different. They hated each other too much. But when they kissed…

Hermione could feel his velvety lips on her neck, his soft hair underneath her hands as she stroked the back of his neck. He slid a hand under the heavy mass of curls and rubbed the sensitive scalp. She smiled into his mouth, forgot who he was, forgot who she was, forgot what was wrong and just thought of what was right.

Ooh, that was a longer chapter than usual. It didn't seem that long when I was writing it. So anyway, write me a review – you know I deserve it for updating so quickly! And I definitely want to know what you thought of it. I've had such a brilliant response to the past couple of chapters, and it seems a shame for that to stop now. So I thought I would say thank you to Hanna28, breezie, Fnicks-Gurlz, TennesseSweetheart, Hopeless4NonExistentLove, jdeppgirl4, WinnieThaPoo92, sexyslytherinbabe, pirateluver, swfap88, spikesilla and heidi191976, my fabulous reviewers. Obviously, if you leave me a review I will write you a response (as long as you don't do it anonymously, in which case I can't reply). But anyway, please feedback, please carry on reading the story and I hope you're enjoying it. Kisses etc, Petitesorciere x


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six 

''I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU SO MUCH, I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH!'' A thousand authors across the land went into an ecstasy of pathetic fallacy as thunder rolled in the sky, echoing Hermione's words. Lightening flashed, adding a crackling light to the flickering candles. And then it was gone and all Draco could see was Hermione bathed in a fiery glow.

''Calm down Granger.'' He turned back to his book and flicked a page over. Hermione stormed over and snatched it out of his hands. She thought momentarily about hurling it into a flame but immediately came to her senses.

''Look at me when I'm speaking to you.''

He rolled his eyes and then turned them on her. ''Yes mother.''

''Shut up. Have you any idea what you have done?''

''No. All you've done is come in and start screaming like a harpy. I don't know what I'm meant to have done because you have yet to enlighten me.'' Draco glared at her.

''You…you piece of scum. You went shooting your mouth off to Zabini, and he has gone and told. He has gone and told everyone. Absolutely everyone!'' Hermione's voice, which she had been striving to keep level rose up on the last sentence, so that she was screaming again. ''I have had Slytherin boys coming up to me all day asking me if I 'fancy a shag' because apparently I'm unbelievably good! I have not slept with you Malfoy, and I do not appreciate you telling everyone that! In fact to say that I do not appreciate it, is putting it so mildly that it could practically be a cheese! You are so bloody immature and…'' she trailed off with an expression of rage so animalistic that it would be pointless to even attempt to describe it.

''Wait a minute, I did not tell Blaise that I slept with you. Remember, he was gloating to you about kissing? He's obviously exaggerated to everyone else. You're over exaggerating. Go and kill Blaise.'' Draco snatched his book back and turned back to his chair. As soon as he opened the book, Hermione grabbed it back and threw it over her shoulder. It hit the wall with a loud crack.

''I don't need to get Blaise. All the Gryffindors were furious – they've taken it upon themselves to administer some form of vigilante justice.'' Hermione was breathing quickly, absolutely furious.

''Woah. He has a hoard of angry Gryffindors on his tail. I bet he's quaking.'' Draco's voice was dripping sarcasm.

''I don't think he's capable of that anymore.'' Hermione smiled. ''If you wanted to ruin my reputation, you're going the wrong way about it. I'm too perfect. No one will believe you. They think its malicious rumour. Which it is.''

''No it isn't!''

''I didn't sleep with you Malfoy – not unless you want to tell me something?''

Draco gaped. ''I didn't rape you!''

''Well then, those rumours are malicious.''

''But you did kiss me.'' Draco looked at her triumphantly, and then added, almost as an afterthought. ''Mudblood.''

''Whatever. Prove it.'' Hermione left the room.

Draco sat back in his chair. Once he had her begging, then he would be able to prove it to the school. Until then, Blaise would have to watch his own back. If he was still capable.

But what to do now? Draco poked at the fire, and thought about it. He had tried tackling her, he had tried pinning her, he had tried being chivalrous, and he had tried being commanding. And she kissed back, she wanted it, and yet she would still pull back. She still wouldn't give in, and it was being to become disturbing, rather than interesting. So what could he do? What was new?

Hermione walked back into the room, and Draco looked out the window. The cloudy sky had become even darker: clearly some time had passed. ''Where are you going?''

''Dinner genius.''

''Why don't you act like our kisses mean something?''

She stopped in her tracks. ''Why don't you?''

''I…''

''For the same reason that I don't. Because our kisses don't mean anything. It's our hormones playing tricks on us.''

''It's not.'' Draco thought about telling her that he was the one playing a trick on her. It was very tempting but he bit it down and thought of the money. ''This is completely serious to me and you're playing with my heart…'' He suddenly burst out laughing. ''No, I'm sorry, I can't keep that up.''

''You are such a tosspot Malfoy. It's unbelievable.''

''I had you going.''

''I'm going now.'' Hermione left the room. Draco sat back in his chair and decided to wait until she got back.

By the time she did return, he was playing with a piece of enchanted paper, bored out of his skull. ''Merlin Granger, how long does it take you to eat?''

''You're monitoring that?''

''I'm definitely monitoring you. You really do have a gorgeous figure.''

''That is so corny, so insincere, and so creepy. Leave me alone.''

''And yet you thrive on this kind of attention.'' Draco smiled at her, his lips crooked.

''I don't!''

''Do.''

''You may be an arrogant, egotistical prat, but I am not. I don't need your approval!''

''You need me though.'' Draco tipped his head back and looked at her through heavy eyelids. ''You're addicted to me.''

Rain lashed the window panes, and Hermione took a deep breath in.

''I don't need you. Not in any way, shape or form.''

''You're completely independent?''

''Yes. But I'm beginning to think that you might not be.''

''What?''

''You're the one who starts all these little confrontations, trying to bring them round to a certain outcome.'' Hermione smirked at him.

Draco's eyes narrowed and he sucked in air. Screw the bet, he needed to put the Mudblood in her place – thinking that he, Draco Malfoy, needed her! ''Listen here you little bitch…''

A flash of light sent him flying across the room. He hit the wall, and Hermione was there straight away, heaving him up by his collar, her eyes furious. She pushed him back again, able to move him because he was so shocked. ''Don't you dare speak to me like that!''

''We've been through this Granger, you don't tell me what to do. You're beneath me.''

''And yet I'm the one pushing you against a wall.'' Suddenly, they realised how close their faces were, how they were breathing each other's air. ''You do not control me.''

And then her lips were pushing against him, voracious and ravenous, desperately seeking what only he could give her. He kissed her back, frenziedly matching her pace, each trying to outdo the other, each trying to grab control. Suddenly, she pushed herself back, and smoothed her hair back, regaining control as rapidly as she could.

''A little freebie for you. Because you're so desperate.''

Draco looked at her, a smirk quirking his lips. ''Whatever, you initiated that. I didn't give you any sign that I wanted it. You want me. Just admit it.''

''No. I'm going now.''

''I don't think so.'' His voice was enough to freeze her. ''It isn't going to kill you to admit it Granger.''

''It's gonna hurt me, and I'm not going to do it. It isn't true.''

''Are you worried Hermione? You should be. I'm everything your mother warned you about. I'm not in love with you. I'm not going to take you to Hogsmeade, and hold your hand when we walk down the corridors. I only want one thing. I want you.''

''You can't have me.'' Her back was still turned.

''I can, Hermione. Believe me. I can.''

''Don't even…''

''Oh, I don't have to drug you, or put you under a spell. You're already under one. I know what you like, which is a hell of a lot more than any of your pathetic little friends or boyfriends have ever managed to work out.'' He stepped closer to her, and slid his hands around her slim waist. ''I know that you like it when I do this.'' He tightened his grip slightly. ''I know that this drives you wild.'' He dropped a kiss on the back of her neck and felt her body tense in ecstasy. ''But I know that this drives you even wilder,'' and he nibbled the sensitive spot that he had just kissed, and heard her moan and tip her head back. ''And you tell me that I'm not in control.''

''You aren't. I know you as well.'' She turned around in his embrace and without any preamble, slid her hand under the back of his shirt, running her fingers up the groove of his spine. Her other hand coiled itself into his hair, teasing the strands, caressing the soft skin underneath. Draco closed his eyes and buried his nose in her neck, smelling the sweet fragrance of her skin and kissed her collarbones.

''You know that and yet you refuse to admit that you've got it bad for me?''

''I…''

''Quiet Hermione. Tell me that you want it.''

''Tell me first.'' Her hands tightened in his hair as his tongue languorously tasted her smooth skin.

''I want you. I don't want it. I could have it with any girl in this school. I want you.'' Draco was too far gone to think about what he was saying, just saying what came into his head.

Hermione's head fell back, exposing the soft white skin of her neck. Draco buried his lips in it. ''I want you too'' she murmured.

''Say it properly. Say my name.''

''I want you Draco. I need you to kiss me.''

Draco had intended to drag it out of her that evening, to end the farce, but her hands were stroking his back, his neck, his chest, his face. He pushed her back onto the sofa and forgot about what was happening, losing himself in the sensations.

AN – well, I hope you liked it! I dashed it off in half an hour, because I felt bad for leaving it for a while. Anyway, I got a fab response to my last chapter – you gorgeous reviewers, you know who you are. If anyone else wants to know who they are, looking at the lovely reviews they have left me (I'm too tired to get all of your names out – sorry, next time, I promise!). In fact, while you're looking at those lovely reviews, why not leave one of your own? Go on, you know you want to, and you know that I'll respond to you etc etc etc. Anyway, all love and all that shizzle, thanks for reading…kisses, Petitesorciere x


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 

Hermione picked the letter to Harry and Ron off of her dressing table and walked towards the door. Glancing round her room quickly before she left to check that everything was in order, she shut the door firmly behind her and pattered down the stairs. She hadn't been expecting Draco to be in the common room, so was understandably shocked when he sat up suddenly and smirked at her.  
''Granger.''

Hermione dropped her letter in surprise and stared at him. ''What are you doing here?''

''Lounging with bad intentions. What are you doing?''

''Nothing.''

''Not cut out for a life of subterfuge, are you Granger?''

''What are you talking about?''

''Who's the letter to?''

''No one.'' Hermione cursed herself as soon as the words left her mouth.

''You've written a letter to No-one? Tell me, does he or she enjoy receiving these letters?'' Draco stood up and walked towards her.

''What I meant was that...'' Hermione stammered, willing her brain to tell her what the hell it had meant. While she stood there, wondering what had happened to the smartest witch of her generation, Draco snatched the letter out of her hands.

''Hey! Give it back Malfoy!''

''An un-addressed envelope? The intrigue's just thick around you today.'' Draco held it out of her reach, in the time honoured game of 'Jump for it'. ''I may have to open this Granger.''

''Don't you dare Malfoy.'' Hermione pulled her wand out of her pocket. ''Accio letter!'' It jumped out of Malfoy's hand and into hers. Thrusting it deep into her pocket, she glared at him. ''Don't patronise me, don't steal my belongings, and don't talk to me.''

''This is just getting repetitive now.''

''You don't want anything to do with me, and I don't want to play your mind games!''

''But you want something to do with me?''

''I didn't say that!''

''You didn't say that you didn't want anything to do with me.'' Hermione fought her way through the maze of negatives and stared coldly at him.

''I would have thought that was obvious''

''Nah. You're just acting tough to cover up your deep affection for me.'' Draco smirked again and flung himself onto the sofa. Lounging with one arm across his eyes, he listened as Hermione breathed in deeply, trying to mask her growing irritation.

''Your ego really is out of control Malfoy.''

Draco removed his arm from his face and smiled winningly at her. ''Look at me Granger. Wouldn't your ego be out of control if you were me?''

''No, I think I'd be living under a rock if I looked anything like you.'' Hermione lied, trying to ignore the fact that the familiar argument was beginning to sound more like friendly banter.

''Really? Then how come you get off with me so much?''

''Pity.'' Much to her surprise, Draco actually laughed. ''What? I didn't say anything funny!''

''You're so cute.''

''You didn't just say that.'' Hermione took a decisive step towards the door, made the serious mistake of looking back at him, and stopped dead in her tracks. He was so gorgeous, just wearing jeans and a t-shirt, his hair freshly washed and shining. He stood up again and looked at her.  
''Why didn't I just say it?'' He raised his arm to scratch the back of his head, giving Hermione a sneaky flash of his abs as his t-shirt lifted. Hermione's eyes widened briefly and then she looked away.

''Because you're Malfoy and I'm Granger. We call each other horrible names and fight.''

''We also have amazing kissing sessions. I particularly liked the one on this sofa, for example.''

''Shut up! Don't talk about it, it was a mistake!''

''Then you've made a lot of mistakes. And I didn't think Granger made mistakes.''

''I don't... I mean...''

''So you don't make mistakes, and yet you said that kissing me was a mistake. Somewhat contradictory.''

''I...''

''Shush.'' Draco moved towards her, and reached out a hand to the side of her face.  
''Please don't.'' Hermione stepped back, clutching her wand.  
''I'm not going to hurt you. I haven't hurt you at all, have I?''

''No...but...''

''Hermione for Merlin's sake! I'm getting so fucking fed up, I really am!'' Hermione's eyes widened as his voice rose. ''You keep acting like you don't want me to kiss you, when last night you were begging me to kiss you! You start kisses, you don't pull away for ages, and then you treat me like this!''

''Don't you dare act like you're actually hurt by this! I know you, and I am so sure that you have some ulterior motive here, and I know that I'm going to come off worse!''

''What the hell makes you think that?''

''You're a Slytherin, and you aren't to be trusted!''

''So that's it, I'm a Slytherin, therefore you don't want to trust me? You won't kiss me?''

''No!''

''Really?'' Draco lunged at her, grabbed her upper arms and pressed his lips to hers. Almost immediately, all the tension went out of Hermione's body. And then entered it again.  
''Stop bloody doing that!''

''You want it!''

''You don't want anything to do with me, you're just using me! And I am not that kind of girl!''

''It isn't like that. You're my dirty little secret.'' Draco smirked at her.

''Oh piss off.'' Hermione pulled herself away.  
''I'm serious. And I'm yours. We both enjoy what we have here, but there isn't a hope in hell that either of us is telling anyone else. So it's a secret. It's dirty because...well, you know why. And it's little, because it isn't doing anyone any harm.''

''Except me.''

''Where have you got this idea? I haven't hurt you and you don't have any proof that I'm planning to hurt you. You're just being a coward.''

''I am not a coward!''

''Then prove it!''

''I am not falling for that!'' Hermione glared at him. Draco backed down for a second.

''Of course not. That was far too crude. Seriously though, why not?''

''Because...''

''Don't spout off all the crap that you've been doing. I don't care about that. All I know is that your closest friends aren't here, you're living here with someone that you aren't particularly close to, and the weather's shitty. Why not have some fun?''

''I...''

''I know that you must be lonely. I want to make things better for you.''

''Well, I don't want your pity.'' Hermione left the room quickly, running to the Owlery, slamming every door behind her angrily. Brusquely tying the letter to the unfortunate owl's leg, she pointed at the window and watched as the bird flew out into the gale, buffeted by the strong winds and rains.

''Honestly, what a complete idiot. Like I want his pity, like I want him to use me. What a completely egotistical, conceited, arrogant, superior, overly-confident idiot.'' She murmured the words to herself as she wandered back to the common room, glaring at everyone unfortunate enough to cross her path.  
Pushing the door to the shared common room open cautiously, she looked around. She couldn't see Draco anywhere, so she stepped into the room. Immediately, hands slid around her waist from behind her. She opened her mouth to scream, but lips met her neck, and she stopped.

''Draco, get the hell off me!''

''Shush...we're just kissing.'' Draco's voice sounded deep in her ear as he kissed her ear lobe.

''No, you're kissing. I'm standing here.'' Hermione stiffened as she felt a hand slide into her pocket, but it was swiftly withdrawn, along with her wand, which was then thrown to the other side of the room.  
''Really? Just standing there?'' Draco kissed the part of neck where he knew she was extra-sensitive. She gasped and arched back into him.  
''Oh Merlin, please don't.''

''Because you can't resist me?''

''Shut up.'' Hermione swung around and buried her lips on his. He pushed her back against the wall, and kissed her harder and harder. Soon Hermione was clutching at him like she was drowning and he was the inflatable keeping her up. Draco could feel his brain fogging over and made a concerted effort to do what he had decided to do.

He pulled away.

Hermione stared at him. ''What are you doing?'' She reached for him again, but he wouldn't kiss her, despite how she nuzzled his neck.

''Beg me. I want you to kiss me, but I won't do it till you beg me to.''

''Why not?''

''Personal kink. Go on, do it.''

Hermione's eyes were glazing over as she stared into his eyes. ''I'm begging you to kiss me. Please, Draco, please, please, please just kiss me back.''

''You're begging me?''

''Merlin, yes! Please!''

''Excellent.'' Draco kissed her, nibbling gently on her lower lip.

Hermione pressed against him and lost herself in him. Suddenly, Draco moved away from her again.  
''What now?'' she mewled.

''Go up to my room.''

''What?''

''You heard me.''

''Why?''

''Why do you think? For Merlin's sake, Hermione, trust me, just this once.''

''Stop treating me like I belong to you.''

''Hermione. Please. You know you want to.'' Hermione debated for a minute. On the one hand, could it seem any cheaper? On the other hand, it had definitely been coming for a while. And...well, she did want to. ''Fine. But don't you dare treat me like that again.'' She turned her back and walked up the stairs to his room.

''I'll be up in a minute.'' Draco called after her. As soon as he heard the bedroom door shut, he turned to one of the cupboards in the common room. ''Come on, let's make this quick.''

Blaise pushed the door open and tumbled out. ''Now, if only you'd let me watch. It sounded bloody good.''

''You heard her beg.'' It wasn't a question.  
''Yeah, but I also then heard her fight back against you.''

''And then do what I was telling her. Anyway, that doesn't matter, because you didn't tell me the begging had to be sustained. Pay up.''

Blaise grinned and handed over the money. ''I take it you aren't going to leave the poor girl in suspense.''

''That would just be rude. You can show yourself out.'' Draco smirked and made his way up the stairs.

Hermione was standing by his window, looking out at the rain soaked grounds. She turned around as he entered the room, her eyes wide in the dim light.  
''Hi.'' Her voice was shaking slightly.

''You nervous?''

''A little. It's...''

''Your first time? Figured. Don't worry, I'll be gentle.'' He moved towards her and stroked the side of her face. ''I haven't hurt you yet, I'm not going to start just now.'' She pressed his fingers to the side of her face and kissed him, losing herself in the sensations that she had had before. Draco began loosening her t-shirt, kissing the smooth skin of her shoulder, working his way down.

A while later, Draco looked at Hermione as she dozed, her eyelashes resting on her cheekbones. He wondered how he would tell her that he didn't want anything to do with her. But then again...surely it couldn't hurt to keep on with this for a little longer? She was surprisingly passionate and it was good to be with a girl that wasn't continually simpering. Draco brushed a strand off her face, pulled the sheet up so that it covered her and got out of bed, pulling on his boxers. Looking out of the windows, he stared at the rain. He would carry on until the weather changed. Just to make sure that he won the bet, he told himself, and then climbed back into bed, smiling as Hermione curled herself into him. Just to make sure that he won the bet.

AN: so that's chapter seven my lovelies. Hope you enjoyed writing it, and I'm sorry it took me a little while to upload, I've been quite busy. But anyway, there it is now, and I'm hoping that you'll be able to take the time to review, because I absolutely love reading them! To my reviewers: HarryGinny4eva, dracosblondiegirl, slytherinqueen555, pauloca, WinneThaPoo92, Amester, Hanna28, Tennessee Sweetheart, The Accountant's Daughter, pirateluver, S3v3rusIsMin3, Fnicks-Gurlz, breezie, Hopeless4NonExistentLove and mhaj78, thanks so much for reviewing chapter 6! So hopefully, chapter 8 will be up pretty soon (as soon as I've worked out what's going to happen lol), and if you review me, you'll get one of my lovely comments back! Kisses etc Petitesorciere x


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight 

Rain lashed the windows, which were beginning to think that they couldn't take much more of this. Hermione was lounging on the sofa in the common room reading, trying to pass the slow Sunday afternoon. Draco wandered in, minus his shirt.

''You're such an exhibitionist.'' She said, glancing up at him and then turning back to her back. She wasn't entirely sure how to act towards him. True, they had been just about as intimate as it's possible to be, and yet, he still seemed so off hand. Hermione knew that an relationship that everyone knew about was never going to happen (Merlin, she didn't want that to happen), and yet, it would have been nice if he could have been a little more affectionate. She tossed the thought away and flicked a page over.

''You love it.''

''You're the pervert, not me. I don't enjoy ogling you.''

''Really?'' Draco put the cup down that he had been fiddling with and fixed her with his sexiest stare, the one that he seemed to have patented. ''So, you would prefer it if I went and got a top?''

''Well don't hurry about it.'' Hermione refused to look at him until she heard him move away. Glancing up, she admired him: even his back was hot – muscled and broad and…Shut up Hermione, she admonished herself firmly. He turned around, saw her staring and grinned. She smiled back, unable to help herself. Every time he smiled at her, she forgot how bitchy he could be, how spiteful he could be, how manipulative and aggressive.

Draco looked away again and congratulated himself. It wasn't every day that you managed to make one of the most independent and prickly girls in the school completely infatuated with you. And yes, it was working out extremely well for him, so no losers. Leaving what he was doing, he wandered behind the sofa that Hermione was lying on, resting on her side.

''I saw you staring at me. I'm feeling quite objectified now.''

''Poor baby.'' Hermione rubbed her thumb and index finger together. ''World's smallest violin playing for you.''

''What?''

''Oh…Muggle saying.'' Hermione turned a page, but was promptly shoved forward as Draco clambered over the back of the sofa and lay down before her. ''Do you mind?'' She tried to ignore the feeling of electricity that had shot through her as soon as she had felt his warm chest pressing against her back.

''Not at all.'' Draco snaked his hands around her slim waist and nibbled the side of her neck, enjoying the soft texture of her skin and her sweet scent. ''And I know that you don't mind.''

''Fair enough.''

''Will you put the book down?'' Draco picked up the book that was lying in front of her and shoved it to one side. ''I'm very selfish and I want all your attention focused on me.''

''I'm not complaining as long as I get the same attention.'' Hermione craned her neck around, kissing Draco as hard as she could, pushing him back.

''But of course.'' Draco's words were muffled, as Hermione straddled him, running her hands over his bare chest. ''I don't think I could ignore you when you do that thing.''

''What thing? This thing?''

''No, not that one. The other one.''

''Oh…that one?''

''Mmm. Yeah, that one.''

Hermione laughed saucily, and let Draco divest her of her top – ''after all, it's only fair if I don't have mine.''

Just as Hermione was beginning to wonder if she was imagining how good she felt, she heard a door push open. Draco was happily oblivious and she had to push at his head repeatedly until he looked up. He met her eyes in puzzlement for a minute, but then his eyes raised until they were looking at the main entrance to their quarters. Just as his eyes widened in horror, a laugh echoed through the room.

''So much for Pureblood principles! You hypocrite.''

Hermione gasped in shock as she recognised Blaise's voice, and she immediately began looking for her shirt. Draco didn't help matters by leaping straight off her, leaving her in her bra.

Finally finding her top and, keeping her back to Blaise, she pulled it over her head and turned around.

''Why so coy Granger? You gave Draco a go, what about me? I did ask you some time ago.''

''And I cursed you.'' Hermione shot a look at Draco, willing him to say something to sort the entire mess out.

''And where's your wand now? A state of undress, I'm guessing you aren't going to be armed!'' With those words, Blaise pushed past Draco and advanced on Hermione. He had just grabbed her by the shoulders and was pulling her closer when Draco tapped him on the shoulder. He turned his head, to receive Draco's fist in it.

''Get the hell off her.''

''Oh piss off Draco!'' Blaise spat the words but let go of Hermione. Nursing his split lip, he glared at the pair of them. ''She's a slut. No point in protecting her.''

''I don't like people touching my things.'' Draco looked at him coldly and Hermione looked at him just as coldly.

''I'm not a possession.''

''Shut up for one minute Hermione. Please.''

''Well, why don't we enlighten Hermione dear as to why you've developed this interest?'' Blaise grinned, blood spilling down his chin. Draco felt a sense of dread envelop him. Now that he knew Hermione was going to be pulled away from him, he felt a sense of bereavement. Denying himself what he was feeling, he began to emotionally detach himself, not wanting to appear bothered by the storm that he knew was about to break.

''What's he talking about Draco?'' Hermione stared at him, her eyebrows drawn together.

''I'll tell you myself.'' Blaise grinned again. ''Draco here and I were bored, and I realised that he seemed to be quite interested in you. He said he wasn't, but he did want to break your spirit – if you'll excuse me sounding like a bad Mills and Boon novel. So I made him a bet. That he couldn't make you beg him to do something he wanted to do by the time the weather broke.''

Hermione's eyes widened in horror as she remembered all the times that she had done what Draco had asked her to do. The time that she had begged him to kiss her…''You can't prove it!''

''Oh but I can! I was in this very room a couple of nights ago when I heard…'Draco, I'm begging you, kiss me, kiss me!''' Blaise put on a high voice and interspersed his speech with breathy sighs. ''Draco's already collected on the bet.''

Hermione pointed at the door. ''Get out.'' Her voice was so cold and decisive that Blaise left straight away, casting Draco a little wink.

Hermione turned on Draco. ''I was a bet.''

Draco turned his back on her, but Hermione put a hand on his shoulder and swung him around again. ''Don't you dare walk away from me! How dare you treat me like that?''

''Oh, come on! You got a pretty good deal out of it! We both did.''

''And that makes it ok? Bloody hell, Draco, how can you be so insensitive? That was my first time – I can't believe I gave my virginity to a guy who was using me to win a bet!''

''You're overreacting.'' Draco's voice was utterly flat, an enormous contrast to the vibrant anger in Hermione's voice.

''I'm overreacting? I'm overreacting? Do you not understand anything about me? How the hell can you treat me like that?''

''Simple. I wanted to win a bet, I had to treat you like that to win said bet.''

''So you don't feel anything for me?'' Draco would have expected Hermione's eyes to be brimming with tears but she was just glaring at him with furious brown eyes.

''No.'' He shrugged, as though to say 'what can you do?'

''Liar.'' Hermione stared at him but didn't give him a chance to respond. ''What did you win?''

''What?''

''You heard me, what did you win? What did your malicious little plot get you?''

''Er…twenty galleons.'' Draco's eyebrows were furrowed, he was unable to see where she was going with this.

''I'm worth so much more than that.'' She spat and moved up to her room, coming out an instant later with her wand. ''Accio Draco's ill-gotten gains!'' The twenty galleons came zooming out of his room and into her hand. ''Don't you dare think you're going to profit out of this. I told you that I didn't want anything to do with you, I told you that you were just going to hurt me, and you have. Congratulations, I'm sure you're very proud.''

Draco opened his mouth to speak but even he wilted under the look of blistering scorn that Hermione cut him down with.

''Don't even try and justify yourself, don't try and insult me! I'm going for a walk, and I strongly advise you not to be here when I get back, because I don't know if I'll be able to stop myself hexing you.'' With those icy words, she left the room, and stormed down the corridors. Slamming the huge door as she left the castle, she lifted her face up to the heavens and felt the wintry rain strike her cheeks.

She made her way over to the lake, and sat on one of the rocks on its shore. Ignoring the way that her sodden clothes were now sticking to her, and how the tips of her fingers were going blue, she thought relentlessly about what had happened.

She knew that Draco was lying when he said he felt nothing for her. It definitely wasn't love, but he could certainly tolerate her, and he hadn't been faking the lust. So she already had a hold on him. Hermione wondered what she could do back. There was no way that she was going to take this lying down. He had made a fool of her, and there was no way that he would get away with that – no one got away with that. But what to do?

She tossed one of the coins in the air. It wasn't enough to take the money that he had won on her. She smiled to herself. She wasn't a Slytherin but that didn't mean she couldn't be cunning. What could she do? She had shouted at him already, that was true, but what was the point in wasting energy on tantrums when she could be planning what to do in return?

_**AN: hello my gorgeous readers : there's chapter eight for you! So the shit has metaphorically hit the fan – what's going to happen next? I promised you that Hermione wouldn't take it lying down, and I definitely know where this is going to go – but I would love to hear your suggestions (as always). So go for it! Now, just a little word about stats. I wanted to say how amazingly thrilled I am! 'The Rain Keeps Pouring' has had 5539 hits (at the time of writing), is the favourite of 22 people, 55 people have story alerts for it, and I've had 72 reviews for it! Wow! Thank you so much, that's such an incredible response (And I'm the favourite author of 4 people, thank you, I'm blushing). I hope you're all getting the responses that I write to your reviews, just so you know that I appreciate them. Anyhoo, many thanks to reviewers of the last chapter – who were:**_

_**Xblackdragonx**_

_**WinnieThaPoo92**_

_**Jdeppgirl4**_

_**Hanna28**_

_**Iluvtheoc3000**_

_**Amester**_

_**Parcheezie**_

_**Breezie**_

_**Hopeless4NonExistentLove**_

_**Pirateluver**_

_**Sarouchka**_

_**The Accountant's Daughter**_

_**ILOVERWHPDM**_

_**Mhaj78**_

_**Cali'sOwnCaliGrown**_

_**Crystal Slara**_

_**S3V3RUSISMIN3**_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Draco stared into the fire moodily, brooding over what had happened. Hermione had told him to leave but he hadn't, preferring to remain slouched in an arm chair. The rain was still pouring, getting stronger and stronger, and she had been gone for about three hours. Just as he was beginning to think about going to bed, he heard footsteps walking along the corridor to the Heads Quarters. He arranged his body a little more casually, trying not to reveal the all-pervading tension.

Because he was tense. It was easy to pretend that he wasn't, but Hermione was so different to every girl that he had ever been with. He certainly had no intentions of apologising, or asking for her forgiveness, but he didn't want them to be on terms like this. If…if they could just go back to what they had been like…that would be perfect. He could wipe her memory, he thought, make her think that there had never been any argument…but that would fall through so easily, just taking Blaise to open his huge mouth one more time. Draco's fists clenched when he thought of what Blaise had managed to do.

Before he could work himself up into a fouler temper, the door pushed open. He turned his head slowly and saw Hermione standing in the door way, looking at him without any expression on her face.

''I thought I told you to be out of the common room by the time I got back.''

Draco didn't answer, caught up in looking at her. The rain had soaked her clothes and they were sticking to her in a very becoming way, her hair was slicked back, showing off her elegant cheekbones. Her eyes, gazing at him, weren't red or puffy (disturbing Draco slightly – why hadn't she been crying?). The only sign of tension was the white teeth chewing gently on her plump lower lip.

He finally pulled himself together long enough to answer her. ''I wanted to talk to you.''

''Tough.'' Hermione walked past him. He looked after her, and then braced himself for an onslaught as she spun around in the doorway. But no verbal barrage came. Instead : ''Petrificus Totalus!''

Draco's body froze into a rigid position where he was seated. Hermione smiled. ''I did warn you.'' Leaving the room, she walked into her bedroom and stared at herself in the mirror, her breath coming quickly. Was she really about to do this? It shouldn't seem this hard – she'd done far worse things : faced Deatheaters in the Ministry of Magic, faced off attack in Hogwarts, survived without her friends, mastered making a Patronus…and yet this seemed to be the most difficult thing of all.

Pointing her wand at her hair, she dried it into glossy curls and flicked it over her shoulders. Toned down her flushed skin and made up her eyes (subtly of course), and then slid out of her bedroom and into Draco's, trying to make as little noise as possible. Rummaging through his wardrobe, she found one of his plain white shirts, and snatched it off the hanger. Sliding back into her room, she peeled off her clothes and wriggled into the shirt. It fell to mid thigh and covered her quite decently but there was definitely something going on there, Hermione thought, turning in front of the mirror.

Checking her appearance one last time and making sure that she had her wand, she walked back into the common room. Draco's head had frozen facing a different direction, so he could hear her but had no idea what she was doing. Walking around him, she stood in front of him. His eyes widened as much as they were able. Hermione flicked her wand and loosened part of the spell, freeing him from the neck upwards.

''What are you doing?'' he asked her, his voice full of shock and his eyes wide.

''Be quiet, or I'll gag you again.''

''Mione…''

''Oh, it's Mione now?'' She flicked her wand and bound him. ''I did warn you.'' She stepped closer to him.

Draco's eyes ran up and down her body, and Hermione felt an unmistakeable thrill. Draco in turn thought how cute she looked in his shirt and then lost his train of thought as he noticed her legs. She put her wand to one side and placed her hand on the side of his face, looking down at him. Draco closed his eyes in momentary ecstasy as he felt her soft touch, but was unable to react any further.

Hermione walked behind him and rested one hand on his chest and bent down next to his ear. ''And yet you say you don't feel anything for me?'' She ran her hand slightly lower and felt his heartbeat pick up. ''So, technically, if I were to do this…'' she nibbled the back of his neck, ''you wouldn't feel anything.'' She felt his heart go even faster and an incomprehensible moan escaped his lips. ''Fine, if you don't feel anything…'' She let go and stepped away.

Draco moaned again, and with a flick of her wand, Hermione let him speak. ''Please…''

''Please what?''

''Don't go.''

''I don't know. I'll see if I can get someone to place a bet before I do anything else.'' Draco stared at her as she gave him a sweet smile.

''Don't be like that.''

''It's fine. You don't feel anything for me, I obviously don't feel anything for you.'' She walked in front of him and sat across his lap. ''But I am a human being, not a bet. And this is not over.'' She kissed him briefly along his jaw bone and then stood up. ''I'm going to bed. I guess you'll just have to wait until the spell wears off.''

And with that, she sashayed out of the room, ignoring Draco's entreaties for help.

Later that night, Draco was still sitting in front of the burnt out fire. The spell had long worn off, but he had yet to move. He couldn't believe that Hermione had done that – had found the nerve to imprison him and then to taunt him. He was (he hated to admit it) impressed. Of course he knew that she had a backbone, but to exhibit it to such an extent – well that was amazing.

And he knew that she was lying about not feeling anything for him. He had proved that often enough, every time he told her to kiss him and she melted into him. And if you didn't feel anything for someone, you certainly didn't wear one of their shirts and parade round. Draco smiled slightly, remembering how she had looked.

It wasn't over. He stared at the embers in the grate before him. ''You're damn right this isn't over Hermione.'' He smiled again. She wanted him. He would make it up with her in the morning. It'd be simple.

The next morning, Draco walked into the common room to see Hermione already to go to her lessons. As she slotted yet another book into her bag, she tossed her curls absentmindedly over her shoulder.

''Morning.'' He smiled at her.

She looked at him, completely disinterested. ''Mmm.''

''Fine. Be that way.'' Draco stepped towards her and slid a hand under her hair so that he could rub the back of her neck. Just as he was bending down to kiss her cheek, a knock came at the door.

Hermione moved away from him, thanking Merlin for small mercies : she had been so close to sighing and rubbing back against him. Opening the door, she smiled at Cormac McLaggen. ''Hi.''

''Hey Mione.'' He leant with one elbow against the doorjamb and Hermione cringed inwardly : could he be any more obvious?

Draco moved forward, a confrontational sneer at the ready. ''And you are?''

''Cormac McLaggen.''

''And you're here because?''

''I'm walking Hermione to class.'' He smiled at Hermione, who busied herself with her bag.

''Hermione, you've been at Hogwarts for seven years, you do not need this prat showing you where to go.'' Draco looked at her in disbelief.

''Of course I know where to go, I just want Cormac's company.'' Hermione widened her eyes faux-innocently.

With a contemptuous look at Cormac, Draco slammed the door in his face. ''You cannot be serious.''

''About what? Open that door!''

''Hermione, the guy is a complete tool!''

''You think I hadn't noticed?'' Hermione's voice was so sarcastic that it stopped even Draco in his tracks. ''He's self obsessed, arrogant and possesses no sense of tact or subtlety.''

Draco looked at her. ''So why are you encouraging him?''

Hermione reached forward and grabbed the door handle. Just before she opened it, she gazed straight into his eyes. ''Because Draco my darling, it's driving you mad.'' She pulled the door open, but Draco's hand hit it and it flew shut again. Without another word, he pushed Hermione up against it and kissed her harder than he had ever kissed her. She returned his embrace just as vigorously, biting at his lower lip, opening her mouth so that his tongue could explore. And then, just as Draco's hands were beginning to twine themselves through her hair, she had broken away and was already moving through the door. All Draco could hear in his lust-fogged brain was ''So Cormac, how's the Quidditch going? I'm surprised you haven't been made captain yet.''

Draco stared at the closed door, an incredulous expression on his gorgeous face. She wanted him – there was no doubt about that, but she would rather spend time with an idiot like McLaggen? Did that mean she really didn't care, that she was willing to overlook lust because of what he had done? Draco looked at his reflection in the mirror and raked his fingers back through his hair. Bloody Blaise, he thought, this is all his bloody fault. He started this whole thing off, and now I do want her. Just in the way that you like having a certain pet around though, he assured himself. He picked up his bag and walked out the door, thinking hard about what his next move would be.

_**AN: well, that was a fun chapter to write lol. Thank you to Hollybaby 390 (because the idea of Hermione taunting Draco in the shirt was her idea), I liked that idea. Anyway, plenty more coming, so keep reading and keep reviewing, I love getting them so much! Shall we do the stats? At the time of me writing this, 'The Rain Keeps Pouring' has 91 reviews (wow, keep up the good work guys), 6538 hits, is the favourite of 31 readers, and 57 of you have put me on story alert. Gosh that's just thrilling. Lovely reviewers for chapter 8 include : mhaj78, breezie, crystal Slara, ILOVERWHPDM, Pirateluver, hollybaby390, iluvtheoc3000, Cali'sOwnCaliGrown, hpdork22, toujoursperdue, HarryPGinnyW4eva, S3V3RUSISMIN3, hanna28, onelife01, Amester, re-o-ko, Fnicks-Gurlz, Xblackdragonx and Hopeless4NonExistentLove. Anyone who left me a suggestion, thank you, chances are I probably will be using it if I haven't already. Anyway, I've gotta go now, so thanks for reading, much love etc Petitesorciere x x**_


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Hermione hurried into her bedroom, shut the door and leaned against it, massaging her aching temples. Merlin, Cormac was so irritating! He had been hanging around her all day, even waiting for her outside bathrooms. It had taken a concerted effort to shake him off long enough for her to escape to her room.

She dropped her bag on the floor and moved into the centre of the room, pulling off her tie and jumper. She supposed that it was a mark of the hold that Draco had on her that she found his lurking threatening, but still ultimately very sexy, whereas Cormac just annoyed her. Just as she was about to unbutton her shirt, Draco began knocking on her door.

''What do you want?''

''To talk to you.''

''Heard that one before. Honestly Draco, I know I'm irresistible but you're going to have to stop pestering me.'' She smiled as she spoke, and Draco could hear it in her voice.

''I know you're smiling, so I know you're joking, so you have to come out.''

''Or what?''

''Or I'll come in. And you know I will.''

''Fine.'' Hermione opened her door and stood in the doorway, her arms crossed. ''Go on then, talk.''

''McLaggen? I'm flattered that you would go to such lengths to make me jealous Mione.''

''Maybe I like the fact that he's arrogant and self-absorbed. Merlin knows, I put up with it in you.''

''But McLaggen doesn't have my undeniable appeal.''

''Goodnight Draco.'' Hermione made to shut the door.

''Oh no you don't!'' He lunged forward and gripped her shoulders. ''Come on.''

Hermione let him pull her out of the room. ''What are you playing at? I'm tired.''

''I'll wake you up.'' He ran his hands down her arms and gave her a devilish smile. Hermione couldn't deny the bolt of electricity that ran through her nerves, but faked a yawn instead.

''This had better be good.''

''It always is around me.''

''Not always. Remember, I gave you my virginity and then it turned out you were using me. Not one of my favourite memories.'' She stared at him coldly, seeing if he could deal with the sudden change of mood.

''Let me make it up to you.''

''No, I don't think I can make a bet and then take your virginity. You see Draco, once it's gone, it's gone forever. That's the way it works.''

''Watch your tone.'' Draco was gradually pulling her over to the door.

''Where are you trying to take me?''

''Not trying, taking.''

''Not if I've got anything to do with it.''

''You don't.'' With that, Draco grabbed her and pulled her over his shoulder in a fireman's lift.

''Draco! Put me down! This is NOT funny! Put me down!''

''You've forgotten your wand again, haven't you? Honestly, Hermione.''

''I wasn't expecting to be kidnapped you obstreperous prat!''

''Kidnappers don't generally give you notice about their plans. Now shush. Or you'll make a fool of yourself!''

''You've done that already – put me down!'' Hermione was thumping at his back with her small fists and Draco picked up his pace, until they arrived at the Room of Requirements. He lowered her to her feet and looked warningly at her. ''Stay there.''

''This had better be bloody good.'' Hermione glared at him, her flirty behaviour completely gone. Draco was acting exactly like he had before Blaise had told her what was going on. She hoped that he hadn't thought everything was back to normal because of that morning. She wanted the upper hand!

Draco ignored her, pacing up and down the hall. Hermione leaned against the wall and slid down until she was on the floor, listening to the rain beating on the roof. She heard the wall shifting to let the door appear, and before she could stand up, Draco had scooped her up and was carrying her through.

Candles flickered in the room, soft light playing off the enormous bed that Draco dropped Hermione on. She looked around and laughed softly to herself. ''This is your masterplan?''

''Well, I don't think I did it properly the first time.''

''What, with the 'Get up to my room now, Damnit!'? What on earth gave you that impression?''

''You're very sarcastic Mione. And tense.'' Draco slid behind her and began rubbing her back, massaging the kinks out of her muscles.

Hermione laughed again but wriggled her back under his strong fingers. ''This is such a cliché.''

Draco's hands slid round her waist and his lips buried themselves in her neck. She moaned, and closed her eyes in ecstasy.

''Clichés seem to work then. I must bear that in mind for future reference.'' Draco murmured in her ear and then began kissing her neck again. And with that simple statement, Hermione remembered what she had promised herself she would do. Draco was not going to walk over her any more, she was not going to submit to him, and they did not have a future. But now she was here…how was she meant to get out of this without looking like a scared little girl?

She turned around and kissed him back, falling with him onto the cushions that littered the bed. She felt his hands skimming along her bare skin and then realised that she was doing the same to him. Just as her lust fogged brain was wondering whether she could pretend that this was part of her plan, it came to her. This was a room set up for seduction, meaning that it should have…she looked at the bedside table and grinned into Draco's mouth. Perfect.

She pushed him back and slid on top of him. ''Stay there.'' Reaching over to the table, pushing aside the contraceptive potions, she grabbed the pair of handcuffs. ''Draco, you kinky beast.'' She twirled them round her finger.

''I didn't ask for them!'' Draco grinned up at her. ''You're the one who noticed them, you're the kinky one!''

''Do you trust me?''

''Yeah.'' He looked at her and Hermione reached down to kiss him, cuffing his wrists to the bed posts.

''Fool.'' She stood up and laughed at him, lying there in his boxers.

''Mione…not funny.''

''It wasn't meant to be.'' She looked at him. ''Don't worry, I don't trust you, I don't expect you to do the same for me.''

''I'm sorry I hurt you.'' Draco looked at her and Hermione could have sworn that he was serious.

''And yet you're still doing what you were doing before.''

''No! I thought that you were telling me I had to make it up to you this morning. That's what I was trying to do.'' He tugged at the chains and they gave slightly. Hermione noticed and smiled.

''Time for me to go I think.'' She was just pulling on her shirt, when Draco gave one huge tug and the chain broke. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened to shout as Draco grabbed her and pulled her back on the bed, clapping his hand over her mouth.

''I'm not going to hurt you. What do you hope to achieve by this?''

''I'm not telling you that. You're so perverse you'll purposefully avoid the result I'm aiming for.''

''I am sorry I hurt you.'' Draco said it and knew that he was. He scolded himself, and told himself that he didn't like hurting pets. That was all there was to it. Honestly. Maybe.

''I don't believe you. I believed you once and it didn't turn out too well for me.'' Hermione stared at him, her arms crossed across her bare stomach.

''Let me make it up to you.'' Draco leaned forward and kissed her mouth so softly that Hermione melted into him. Without another word, she let him lay her down, caressing her gently, gradually guiding her to the point where she forgot who she was.

When it was finished, he kissed her mouth. ''I know you aren't going to drop what you're intent on doing.''

She opened her mouth to protest, but he kissed her again to muffle her words. ''Don't argue because I know you will. And I'm not going to try and stop you. And I don't have any right to ask you this, but don't hurt me too badly.''

Hermione looked at him, her eyebrows furrowed. ''You don't have any right to ask me that. Not after what you did.''

''OK, but don't argue with me this evening. Stay here, stay calm.''

''I can't.'' Hermione got up and began looking for her clothes.

''Please.'' Draco sat up and stared at her.

''What's in it for me?''

''Me. And I'll help you get even with Blaise.''

''What?'' Hermione stopped what she was doing, her shirt hanging half open.

''Blaise. He tried to attack you. He humiliated me. I'll help you get even with him and then we can go back to you trying to revenge yourself on me. Business before pleasure Mione.''

''You got both with me.'' But there was no venom in Hermione's voice and she was already seriously thinking over his offer. He had completely thrown her off course this evening – been too tender, been too pleasant. She couldn't hurt him when she was like this. So she would get Blaise, and then get Draco. Unless she managed to get both of them at once. In one simple movement…

She smiled. Draco looked at her and grinned. ''I know you're planning something horrible, probably aimed at me, and I don't care. If you try and get revenge on me again, I'm going to revenge myself on you. So bring it on Hermione.''

''Now you're just over reacting.'' Hermione winked, leaving him in no doubt that he wasn't over reacting, and finished getting dressed. ''I'm going now. But I must say, it's charming to know the lengths to which you're prepared to go for me. We'll talk about Blaise.'' And with that, she left.

Draco banged his head back against the soft pillows. She ought to have been in Slytherin, he thought, or I should have been in Gryffindor, because Merlin knows, I'm playing with fire, and that's gotta count as bravery.

_**AN: just a quick note because I'm meant to be going out and I'm already late, so I'll do mentions for chapters in the next update. Much love to all fabulous readers, and more love to reviewers! You're all amazing. Kisses, Petitesorciere! PS : PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW!!! PLEASE!**_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

''No. I've said it already Draco, don't make me carry on saying it.'' Hermione gave him her most withering look and went back to staring out at the storm.

''Oh come on, it's the easiest way.''

''It's not! It's hackneyed and clichéd! If seducing Blaise means so much to you, you do it!''

''Now you're just being ridiculous.'' Draco raised his eyebrows at her. ''I know you're good at seducing people, just pretend that you like him.''

''That's your game.''

''Not that again!''

Hermione looked at him and couldn't help smiling. It was driving her mad being in the same room as him. She couldn't believe that she had actually agreed to do this, but she knew that if she hadn't, she would have been regretting it every time she went and sat up in her room.

Draco smiled back at her. ''Come on, we can think up something.''

''I know.'' Hermione slid off the window seat and went and sat on the floor next to Draco. ''But I'm not pretending that I fancy Blaise. He'll never believe that it was a lie – and he'll go on and on about it. And he'll think that he's better than you because of it.''

''Well that's not going to happen then.'' Draco scrunched up the bit of parchment that he had been scribbling on and threw it into the fire. ''Let's see…now, what do we actually want to do to Blaise?''

''Make him feel stupid.''

''Destroy something that's important to him.''

''Shatter his dreams.''

''Take away something precious to him.''

Hermione nudged Draco with her elbow. ''You get pretty into this, don't you?''

''I'm a Malfoy, it's second nature to me. How pointy are your elbows?'' He grabbed her arm and pushed her sleeve up to examine the joint. ''Funny, they feel much sharper.''

''Get off.'' But Hermione didn't make any move to pull her arm away and she was smiling at him. ''You're incorrigible.''

''And that's my special charm.'' Draco pulled her sleeve back down and gave her arm back, much to Hermione's bewildered disappointment.

''So what can we do?''

An hour later, they had their plan pretty much worked out, the rain was still thrashing the windows, and Hermione was lying on the floor, her head resting in Draco's lap. Suddenly she remembered that she was meant to be working out a plan to get revenge on both boys. Shrugging slightly, she decided that she couldn't be bothered. I'll work it out tomorrow, she told herself.

Draco brushed a strand of hair of Hermione's face and smiled as she yawned. ''My company's that boring?''

''Infinitely more so.''

''I find that hard to believe.'' He bent down and pressed his lips to hers. Hermione was far too relaxed to feign any kind of reference and just smiled sleepily as he pulled away. ''Merlin, you're gorgeous when you're like this.''

''I'm way too tired and I have no doubt that I look like I'm under the influence.'' Hermione pulled her body upright and turned her head to look at Draco, finding herself slightly closer than she had estimated. ''How do we do this?''

''Do what?'' Draco asked, his voice soft and low as he focused on her soft lips.

''End up so close to each other's mouths all the time.'' Hermione could feel their faces moving closer and closer together as though they were opposite ends of magnets. Just as she was about to elaborate, her lips were brushing gently. Draco pushed her back gently and planted dozens of tiny butterfly kisses against her soft skin, never resting long enough until Hermione sighed and pulled him down to her mouth, not wanting to let him go. Their mouths opened and closed languorously, sharing truths that couldn't be spoken aloud.

Finally, they broke apart, their bodies so entwined that it seemed impossible to separate them. Neither bothered to try, remaining close to each other instead.

''I guess opposites attract.'' Hermione whispered, staring into his blue eyes.

''We're not that different.'' Draco wrapped a curl of her hair around his finger. ''We both know what we want, we both go out and get it, neither of us is afraid of a challenge, and we know when to hold onto a good thing.''

''Just our belief systems differentiating us then.'' Hermione gestured towards the Dark Mark that was vivid on his pale skin. ''I can't believe I'm doing this with someone who has that.''

''Hermione…''

''I don't want to talk about it Draco.'' Hermione pressed her fingers to his lips. ''We aren't going to agree, and it's going to be infinitely more difficult to get Blaise if we aren't able to talk.'' And I need to stay close to him, she told herself. For revenge, obviously. Not for any other reason that I'm refusing to acknowledge.

''Why would you carry on doing this if you don't agree with me?''

''Because that's an opposite thing.''

''Does that mean it attracts you that I…''

''No…it just means that I can justify doing this.'' Hermione laughed slightly, not wanting to say that was the truth, that was how she was denying her feelings.

''Because it scares you to say that we're similar?'' Draco smiled at her.

''I know it sounds stupid but…'' Hermione didn't even bother to try and deny it, scared at how easily Draco could read her. How he was able to notice things that very few other people noticed.

''Don't worry. I get you. It's too weird otherwise. You're Gryffindor, I'm Slytherin.'' Draco didn't even have to think about what he was saying, didn't have any kind of double motive in what he was saying, just saying what he knew to be true. ''We need to keep it this way, or everything's going to fall apart.''

''Right.'' Hermione nodded her head decisively. ''We're enemies who can tolerate each other for the time being, because of some freakish attraction. And once that passes, and I'm sure it will because it's just hormones, then we can go back to normal and none of this will ever matter.''

Draco grinned at her. ''Exactly.'' It would be weakness to tell her how he felt, he decided. Although, of course, he had no deep feelings for her. Just hormones, like she had said.

Hermione reached forward. ''My hormones are playing up again.''

Draco licked her lower lip and then kissed her. ''Excellent.''

Hermione felt his body on top of hers, lean and strong and forgot everything she had said, indulging her fantasy that things were normal. She was a normal girl, making out with her normal boyfriend who wasn't meant to be one of her worst enemies, and everything was going to be fine.

Draco cupped her face, feeling the hollows of her cheeks beneath his fingers. They still fought each other for control, trying to make the other gasp more often, each using every weapon in their arsenals to devastating effect.

Even later, Hermione was curled into Draco's body, smiling sleepily again. ''You were honestly allowed anything you wanted?''

''Yeah. I guess I was a little spoilt.''

''A little? Jeez, that's more than a little bit spoilt – letting a kid having everything he wanted.''

''Well I turned out OK. I just have to have everything I want.''

''Or you throw a tantrum?''

''Got it in one. Throw all my toys out of the pram.''

Hermione giggled and looked out of the window. The sun had long gone down and they were still lying on the carpet. ''We really should get up.''

''You nocturnal creature.''

''Well, we could start putting the plan into action now.''

''You reckon?''

''Why not? He'll be thrown even more off balance in the morning.''

''Cool, let's go.'' Draco stood up and began finding his clothes. ''Mione, how on earth did your knickers get inside my trousers?''

''Don't ask me.'' She snatched them back with a saucy smile. ''Ready?''

And within minutes they were walking along to the Slytherin common room, walking into the dormitory, and working their magic.

Leaving the room, Draco looped his arm around Hermione's waist and pulled her close. ''So what do you think he'll do when he wakes up?''

''Panic?'' Hermione winked up at him, and then giggled as quietly as she could as Draco swept her up, swung her round and then resumed stalking along the corridors as quietly as he could while keeping her a willing prisoner in his arms.

_**AN: There…wasn't that a quick update lol? So now I just need to work out what the revenge is going to be! I have a few ideas, but I definitely want to hear any suggestions that you have, so go nuts. Anyhoo, I hope you enjoyed that chapter, and I really hope you'll leave me a review. Let's do the stats, shall we? At the time of me writing this, 'the rain keeps pouring' has 119 reviews, 8875 hits, is on the favourite list of 37 people, and 68 people have put it on story alert. That's really sweet guys, thank you! And reviewers for the past two chapters have been : Enchanted-Princess, Dracoshott28, Hanna28, Cali'sOwnCaliGrown, Fnicks-Gurlz, Breezie, mhaj78, Cali4me92, onelife01, HarryPGinnyW4eva, ILOVERWHPDM, Pirateluver, Hollybaby 390, Amester, Crystal Slara, The Accountant's Daughter, sherrithewriter, Bella Luna Night and Xblackdragonx. Sorry if I missed anyone out, I really didn't mean to lol! Much love to everyone x x x**_


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Blaise woke up that morning and looked out of the crack in the curtains, watching the rain trickle down the glass. Getting out of bed he probed gingerly at his face, which was still swollen from where Draco had hit him. To be honest, he hadn't been expecting him to get so angry about that – surely he had been doing Draco a favour in pulling him away from Granger? But then he smiled lasciviously as he remembered Hermione's curves and sweet, innocent face. Maybe he did owe Draco some form of minimal apology.

He ran a brush through his hair quickly, pushed a flannel over his face and pulled on his robes and then left the room, moving swiftly through the corridors to get to the Great Hall. He walked over to the Slytherin table and sat down his usual place, smiling graciously at the people surrounding him, who were staring at him open mouthed.

''Morning. Could you pass the juice please?'' He spoke directly to Pansy but she just carried on gawping at him. ''Pansy? I know I'm gorgeous, but seriously, you've got to stop staring.''

She pulled herself together long enough to ask him ''Blaise? What's happened to you?''

''What are you talking about?''

''Blaise…'' She dug around in her bag and pulled out a small compact, and passed it over to him. ''There's something seriously wrong.''

Blaise flicked open the mirror and looked at himself. He had been expecting to see a good-looking boy, potential model, a devastating smile. What he actually saw was a face covered in pulsating boils, hair that was…Oh Merlin, hair that looked like it was falling out, and then his robes, they looked like they were moving. Blaise jumped up in horror and began clawing at his clothes – they were covered with some kind of insects that were slowly wriggling their way under his robes to nestle against his bare skin.

''What the hell is going on?''

Hermione heard his shout and smiled into her goblet, demurely carrying on her conversation and ignoring the commotion that was breaking out at the Slytherin table. All his friends were slowly backing away from Blaise, who was frantically brushing at himself, not sure what to attend to first : his receding hairline, his disgusting skin or the bugs on his skin. Then his slightly wild eyes fell on Draco, calmly reading the Daily Prophet and eating his breakfast.

''What have you done to me?'' Blaise yelled, pushing first years out of the way to make his way closer to Draco, who looked up as though he was noticing Blaise for the first time.

''Blaise? Is that you? Man, you look terrible.''

''What did you do?''

''Me? Absolutely nothing!'' Draco's tone was so sarcastic that he might as well have signed a written confession of his guilt. ''Why on earth would I want to do something like this to you?'' Of course, it had taken Draco and Hermione no longer than a minute to charm Blaise's hairbrush, flannel and robes, leaving him in the current, charming state that he was in.

''Because I gave something away.'' Blaise's meaningful tone was perfectly clear : admit to this and sort it out, or I will tell the entire hall what you and Granger have been doing.

''What would that be?'' Draco stared coldly at him, daring him to do it. ''I don't know where you've got this crazy idea from, Blaise, but maybe the person who's screwing with your appearance is screwing with your mind as well.''

''Shut up. I am not crazy! You and Granger have been having it off at every available opportunity, and I told her that you were just doing it for a bet! This is why you're doing this to me!'' Blaise was panting slightly, clawing almost absentmindedly at his skin.

Pansy cut in. ''Don't be so stupid! Malfoy would never do anything with that Mudblood!''

Draco's jaw tightened momentarily but he remembered the part he had to play and laughed derisively. ''See, they've been screwing with his brain as well.''

''SHUT UP!'' Blaise launched himself at Draco and began punching madly, desperately seeking his face.

''Get. Off. Zabini.'' Draco grunted the words and began fighting back, punching as hard as he could, landing a hit that sent Blaise flying backwards, just as the teachers noticed the disturbance.

''Malfoy! What are you doing?'' Snape stepped forward, his voluminous robes flapping.

''He attacked me sir.'' Draco breathed in heavily through his nose, and wiped the blood off his lip. ''No idea why. He's been raving away, and someone's clearly being playing a prank on him.'' He met Snape's eyes levelling, daring him to say that he knew Malfoy had played the 'prank'.

Snape looked at him and turned away, his face expressionless. ''Parkinson. Take him up to the hospital wing.'' He waved his wand and straightened the benches. Pansy stepped forward and gingerly raised Blaise to his feet, trying to avoid touching him too much. Hermione looked over her shoulder and caught Draco's eye. His hair was ruffled, and his shirt had been pulled open, destroying his normally pristine appearance. He winked surreptitiously at her and jerked his head at the door, indicating that he wanted her to meet him. She had to bite her lip to stop a particularly minxy smile spreading across her face as she turned back to the table.

''You ok Mione?'' Ginny looked at her curiously.

''I'm brilliant. Blaise is injured isn't he? I've got to go now.'' And with that, she stood up and walked out of the hall, swaying her hips slightly, perfectly aware that Draco was watching her.

He met her up in their quarters a few minutes later. ''Mione, I had the most excellent idea.''

''Mmm?'' Hermione sounded highly sceptical.

''You should go and seduce him.''

''We've been through this. That is hackneyed and demeaning and I won't do it.''

''No, do it! Because I have a cunning plan.''

''I'm failing to see the cunning part in this.''

''You know Millicent Bulstrode?''

''Hard not to notice her. You've got to run out of her way when you see her coming along the corridor.''

''Well, she has an enormous crush on Zabini.''

''No! Really?'' Hermione looked at him.

''So bad a crush that she would do almost anything to get close to him.'' Draco looked at her and grinned. ''You go in there, flirt and throw Zabini completely off balance. Then Bulstrode takes a little Polyjuice Potion with you in it – I'll tell her that it's a love potion and not let her look in a mirror, and tell her to go straight up to Blaise and kiss him, and not let him say anything. That way he's not going to say anything that'll give the game away. And he'll wake up in the morning next to Bulstrode which will absolutely horrify him.''

''That's really good…But what if someone sees 'me' going into Blaise's room and…you know.''

''Disillusionment charm on her as she goes in. And Muffliato charm on the bedroom.''

''Are you sure you only just thought that up?'' Hermione smiled at him, unable to resist the idea of playing that kind of trick on Blaise. ''Well…as long as I only have to flirt with him…''

''You're amazing'' Draco moved closer to her and took two handfuls of her hair and gently pulled her face up to his.

''You only want me because I'm good for revenge.'' Hermione pouted at him, her voice slightly muffled, not wanting to admit how real that fear felt.

''I don't.'' Draco's voice was serious as he looked at her. ''I don't want to use you. I just want you. More than you know.'' Unable to quite believe what he had just said, he kissed her again, her hands moving over his ripped shirt, feeling the muscles underneath.

''Should I go to Blaise now? That might be a good idea. Hopefully he'll be looking normal again now.''

''You aren't going now!'' Draco exclaimed, as he steered her into his bedroom and kicked the door shut behind him. Hermione laughed softly as he pushed her back onto his bed. ''You aren't allowed to kiss me like that and leave – I think that should be an official rule.''

Later, Hermione was pulling a shirt over her head as Draco lounged on the bed watching her. ''Open an other button.''

''No. That's not me and he'll notice that something's up. He might not be as clever as you but he certainly isn't stupid.''

''Fine. But I didn't want the shirt open for Zabini. That was for me.''

Hermione laughed. ''You're insatiable! You can get a hair for the Polyjuice Potion out of my hairbrush.''

Draco propped himself up on his elbows. ''Are you sure you want to do this? I'm not going to hold it against you if you decide you don't want to do it.''

Hermione smiled at him. ''I wouldn't do it if I didn't think it was for some greater good. I don't particularly want to flirt with him, but he made me feel awful, he made you feel awful. So I'm going to make him feel awful.''

''Doesn't mean you have to do this.'' Draco said, thinking silently that he wasn't particularly relishing the idea of what she was going to do.

''I'll do this. This one thing. And then I'll consider myself even with him. I hate him for making that bet.''

''I made the bet as well.'' Draco looked at her with worried eyes.

''Draco, please don't remind me about that. I can't bear to think about it.'' She leaned over him and kissed him gently on the lips.

Draco kissed her back and watched her walk over to the door. ''Mione!'' She stuck her head back through the door. ''Why can't you bear to think about me making the bet?''

She looked at him wistfully. ''Because it hurts too much. I don't like to think of you hurting me. That's not what you do.'' And with that, she was gone, walking along the corridors to the hospital wing.

Pushing the door open, she saw that Madam Pomfrey wasn't there, and that Blaise was lying in a bed at the far end of the ward. She walked up to him and placed a tentative hand on his now insect free shoulder. ''Blaise, I thought that was so horrible what Draco did to you.''

''What do you want?'' He spat at her. ''I'm not mad, I know what I'm talking about.''

Hermione smiled sweetly at him, masking her true feelings of revulsion. ''I know. The thing is Blaise, you're just a much more attractive option than Malfoy.'' And with that, unable to even attempt any sort of banter, she pressed her lips to his.

And suddenly realised how spoilt she had been with Draco. Blaise didn't even bother spending any time kissing her normally before thrusting his tongue into her mouth, and circling it around as though he was attempting to clean her mouth. Hermione opened her eyes slightly and looked over his shoulder, trying to see how long it had been, trying to see if she could decently pull away yet.

Finally, she deemed the moment appropriate and disengaged herself from Blaise, the human washing machine. ''I've gotta go now.'' Blaise opened his mouth to say something, but she just pressed her finger to his lips. ''I'll come back later. And give you something to make you feel better.''

Blaise's eyes widened and he smiled appreciatively and let Hermione leave the room unmolested, although feeling slightly unclean.

That evening, Draco was handing Millicent a vial full of Polyjuice Potion, glowing a pretty pastel colour. ''Yeah, just drink this, and you will be irresistible to Blaise. More so than usual I mean. Can I suggest something? Don't let him say anything, because chances are he'll be so love struck he'll embarrass himself. Just…have your wicked way with him.'' Draco repressed the unpleasant image of Blaise forcing himself on Hermione, and reminded himself that it was just a potion and the real Hermione would be with him.

So Millicent went off happily, and that night, two Hermiones writhed in the arms of the man that they wanted. Just before she drowsed off, the real Hermione turned her head on the pillow to look at Draco, his hair shining silver in the moonlight, the light speckled from the rain on the windows. ''Draco…will an hour have been long enough?''

''Course it will. This is Zabini.'' They laughed together, and Hermione scooched closer to him so that she could nestle against his bare chest, enjoying the feel of their skin brushing.

Draco lowered his head and buried his nose in her soft hair, breathing in her warm scent. ''You always smell so lovely.''

''So do you. All strong, and lovely and Draco-like.'' Draco smiled slightly as he listened to Hermione's voice getting drowsier and drowsier,

''You're amazing.''

''So're you.'' Hermione's eyes were no longer open properly.

''I've never felt this way about anyone before.'' Draco whispered, thinking her completely asleep. But that one sentence hit Hermione's ears just before she drifted away, and when she did, it was with a glowing smile on her face.

That morning, Pansy (tipped off by Draco) walked into the hospital ward, surrounded by a crowd of Slytherins.

''Merlin!''

Blaise sat up, his eyes bleary as he took in the crowd. Then he remembered what had happened last night, and smirked. ''Yeah, well, last night, me and…'' His eyes rolled downwards ''Bulstrode!''

''You slept with Millicent!'' Pansy's voice was gleeful and she was already making her way to the door to spread the news.

''NO! No, she was Hermione when she came here…''

''No I wasn't!'' Millicent was awake now, and the entire Slytherin cohort was looking at him as though he were crazy. Blaise carried on gibbering, completely aghast at what he was supposed to have done, but the news was already spreading, as the real Hermione woke up stretching next to the sleeping Draco.

''I've never felt this way about anyone either.'' She whispered in his ear, and then settled back down to go to sleep.

AN: Well, there's chapter twelve at last. Sorry it took me a couple of days to alert. Now, firstly, the idea for the revenge where Millicent sleeps with Blaise was the idea of ILOVERWHPDM. So thank you very much for that, I thought it was a fab idea. And then I also wanted to say thank you to CutebIndegoddess, because she recommended that story to Emerald27. So thank you very much for that. Stats: at the time of writing, we have

_**10753 hits – wow, that's amazing!**_

_**133 reviews – even better – keep those reviews coming guys, I love each and every one of them!**_

_**This story has been favourited 38 times**_

_**And has 72 alerts going out.**_

_**All in all, I think that's rather bloody good! So my fab reviewers for chapter eleven were : Amester, The Accountant's Daughter, Emerald27, CutebIndegoddess, ILOVERWHPDM, breezie, Fnicks-Gurlz, Wings of a Rebel, Pirateluver, Xblackdragonx, silent-mousie, mhaj78 and Crystal Slara. So thank you very much guys, please keep the reviews coming, I really love to get feedback! Anyway, much love to everyone…Petitesorciere xxx **_


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen 

''Hermione? Can I speak to you please?'' Ginny stuck her head around the door and looked apprehensively at her friend.

''Of course.'' Hermione pushed her chair back from her desk and placed her quill neatly down on top of the parchment that she had been writing an essay on. ''What's wrong?''

Ginny pushed her dripping hair off her face and tossed her umbrella to one side. ''Useless thing. Didn't keep me dry at all.''

''They're never much good in gale force winds and tempestuous rain.'' Hermione smiled and threw Ginny a towel. ''But I'm guessing that isn't what you wanted to talk to me about?''

''No…the thing is Hermione…what's going on with you and Malfoy?''

Hermione's smile froze on her face. ''What do you mean?''

''Exactly what I said Hermione. Don't try and buy time, please, give me more respect than that.''

''Nothing Ginny. Really, nothing.''

Ginny stared at Hermione, her eyes hurt. ''When you're ready to tell your friends the truth, I'll be in my dormitory.''

''Ginny!'' Hermione called after her friend's retreating back. ''Please, don't be like that.'' But the only answer she had was a door slamming in her face. She breathed out heavily and sat back down at her desk, resting her head in her hands.

She was still sitting like that when Draco pushed open her door and sauntered in half an hour later.

''What's wrong?'' he asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

''Ginny suspects. In fact, Ginny does more than suspect. She came in here and asked me what was going on between us.''

''What did you say?'' Draco's hand rested casually on Hermione's shoulder.

''I told her that there was nothing to tell. That there was nothing going on between us.''

''Did she believe you?'' Draco stared at the top of Hermione's head and idly wondered how she managed to get her parting so straight.

''No. And I hate lying to my friends Draco. That's the one thing that I've never done before, and now I'm doing it regularly! Every time I make an excuse, every time I slip away from the table before anyone else, every time I omit something in conversation, or in a letter, I am lying to them!'' Hermione turned her face up to him, silently begging him to say something comforting, something that would make everything feel right again.

''Well, they can't know the truth.'' Draco looked into her eyes and wished he could say something else.

''You sound like an actor from a B-movie – 'the truth? You can't handle the truth!'' Hermione turned her face away again.

''What's a B-movie?'' Draco rubbed her shoulders. ''Look, you know its true – none of our friends can know.''

''You think I don't know that?'' Hermione stood up, knocking Draco's hands off her shoulders. ''You think that I was actually planning to go and tell everyone – hey everyone, you know how I love and support you all? Well, I'm going out with a Deatheater. Hope you're not too bothered. Oh, you are bothered? Ah well, not to worry.'' Hermione glared at Draco.

''Don't take this out on me.'' Draco looked at her coldly.

''I'll just go and talk to one of my friends about it then…oh no! Wait a minute, I can't!''

''Shut up.''

''Don't you dare tell me to shut up!''

''Well Hermione, what did you expect?'' Draco's temper suddenly flared up, sending him from icy cold to fiery hot. ''Did you think that we would be able to go around the school happily? Did you think that everyone would be really, really happy for us? Did you think that we would spend the rest of our lives together, and that our ideological differences would just disappear? Well wake up, because you're living in a fantasy world!''

''Of course I didn't think that!''

''Well then, what's the problem?''

''What does this mean to you?'' Hermione dropped down onto her bed and stared at Draco, her eyes wide as her fingers clutched at the bed cover. ''Am I just some cheap screw to you? Do you just tell me what I want to hear?''

''How can you think that?'' Draco stared at her. ''Do you honestly think that I'm using you?''

''You did before.'' Hermione gazed steadily at him. The only tension visible was in her fingers, which were twitching as they tore at her quilt. ''You used me to win twenty galleons.''

''I've apologised for that. Repeatedly.''

''You haven't actually. You've apologised for hurting me, but not for making the bet. It's like you don't regret making that.'' Hermione blinked furiously, refusing to cry.

''I don't.'' Draco looked at her and stepped closer. ''I will never regret making that bet.''

''What? Draco, do you not understand me at all? I hate myself for what I am doing, but I can't stop, I'm so hooked on you! This has gone beyond infatuation, or lust! Draco, I can't help what I feel for you, but at least have the decency not to stomp on my feelings like this! I mean…''

Draco looked at her, a smile on his lips. ''You didn't let me elaborate. But thanks for saying all that, it does make me feel less apprehensive about what I'm going to say.''

''What?'' Hermione stood in front of him, her chest still rising and falling from her outburst. ''What are you talking about?''

''I will never regret making that bet, because that is the one thing that has made me notice you. I would have carried on hating you because of a fact of birth. Now, because of a stupid bet that I made, I'm falling in love with you. Slowly mind you, because you keep doing irrational things and getting angry with me.''

''You're falling in love with me?'' Hermione's voice was quiet and tremulous.

''That's what I said.'' Draco's cheeks flushed faintly but his eyes didn't leave Hermione's.

She smiled up at him, and slid her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest, feeling the rough texture of his shirt underneath her cheek. ''I'm in love with you too.''

''I know that.'' Draco smiled slightly as Hermione poked him in the side. ''Go on, go and put on something pretty.''

''Why?'' Hermione stepped back slightly, still holding on to him.

''Well, we can't tell people in the school, but I don't see why we can't go on a date outside the school.'' Draco smiled at her.

''Seriously?'' Hermione moved her arms up to hug him around the neck. ''Are you sure you don't want to stay here for a little bit?'' She bit his neck gently.

''Well, I was going to wait until after dinner, but if you insist…I am a gentleman after all!'' Draco swept Hermione up and carried her into his room, dropping her on his sheets. The touch of skin on skin set things in motion, and soon all that their worlds consisted of was the other. Hermione gasped against Draco's neck, tasting his neck as she kissed it, while Draco lost himself in the feel of Hermione's body, smooth and warm against him.

Afterwards they clutched each other in blissful ease. But it is likely that they would not have been so relaxed had they known what Blaise was doing at that exact moment.

As Hermione reached for her underwear, Blaise was walking up to Ginny in the library.

''Weasley.''

''Zabini. How's the hairline doing?''

''Never mind that. How would you like to know a secret?''

As Draco shrugged himself into his robes, and raked his fingers back through his hair, Blaise lowered himself to Ginny's ear and whispered his secret.

As Hermione ran her lipstick across her lips, leaving them glossy and scarlet, Ginny stared at Blaise. ''I knew she was lying to me.''

As the happy couple hurried out of the castle grounds, Draco's arm wrapped around Hermione's slim shoulders, Blaise and Ginny watched them from the library windows.

And as Hermione and Draco Apparated at the restaurant and were shown to their candlelit table, Blaise turned to Ginny. ''You can help me. What shall we do to expose them?''

AN: Hey everyone, I am so sorry that it took me so long to update! I had two course essays to do, three seminars to prepare for, a lot of reading, and then one of my friends came to stay with me. So I had a lot on, but here is the chapter now. So, stats: 12692 hits, 152 reviews, 85 alerts, and 40 favourite stories. 'The rain keeps pouring' also now belongs to 3 community thingies, which is pretty cool. So I'm absolutely thrilled with that response, thank you so much guys! And my lovely reviewers for the previous chapter were: dracoshott28, Cali'sOwnCaliGrown, hellakat, Xblackdragonx, dracolvr, ring mah b3ll, Amester, cali4me92, breezie, dolphinroxy, The Accountant's Daughter, CutebIndeGoddess, Pirateluver, jdeppgirl4, mhaj78, Crystal Slara, Emerald27 and ILOVERWHPDM. Thank you so much guys, I really really appreciate it. So all readers can add themselves to these shining ranks simply by leaving me a review, no matter what it says (although I obviously prefer positive feedback). All my love…Petitesorciere.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Ginny stared at Blaise in horror, and shoved him away. ''What the hell are you on about?''

''What?'' Blaise looked at her in shock, disbelief written plainly across his features.

''You loathsome toad! You actually think that I'm going to betray one of my best friends?'' Ginny shoved Blaise again. ''I haven't got a word foul enough for you!''

Blaise gestured at the window in bewilderment. ''But she lied to you! Get your own back!''

''That's hardly going to solve anything, is it? Of course I knew she was lying to me, you didn't have to show me that! And of course I'm hurt, but if she's lying to me, she'll be doing it for a good reason! And I am not going to turn my back on her by teaming up with a duplicitous prick like you!'' Ginny's hazel eyes were narrowed and her hair seemed to be crackling with fury. ''How dare you even think that I would do that? And to say 'you can help me', as though you're conferring an honour on me!'' Ginny turned around and stormed away, her bag bouncing angrily off her hip. The last words she heard from the library were ''Fine, I'll do it without you!''

Blaise grimaced in frustration. It would have been much easier to do it with the blood traitor, now that everyone he knew thought that he was insane. Sleeping with Bulstrode certainly hadn't helped…he shuddered as he thought of waking up with her smiling soppily at him. He had absolutely no doubt that Draco was behind that, and obviously Hermione was in on it.

But what to do for revenge? It wouldn't be enough to just expose them. True, they might be alienated slightly, but if Ginny would stick up for Hermione, then others would. And Draco was far too popular – he would always have supporters. Blaise stared unseeingly out at the sodden grounds. What could he possibly do?

Split them up? That could work. Leave them both heartbroken and alone. But how would he get close enough to do that? Neither of them would ever trust him again.

Tell Draco's father? But what could he do? He was a Deatheater…Blaise's eyes widened as an idea occurred to him. Tell a Deatheater, maybe get the Dark Lord involved, both Hermione and Draco dead. Blaise shook his head as if to dismiss the idea. Murder was a step too far. But then he remembered the lessons that he had learnt at his mother's knee – 'nothing was too low to be solved with murder'. Utter humiliation at the hands of the Dark Lord, and then death.

Blaise smiled. That could work. But it would be fair to alert Draco of his intentions. He would give him one chance to break up with the Mudblood. If he didn't, the Dark Lord would hear of it. Hell, Blaise gave a smirk worthy of Draco, even if he did break up with her, the Dark Lord would still hear about it.

He slid off the table he had been sitting on, and stalked out of the library, making his way back to the Slytherin Common Room to iron out the final creases in his plan. He stopped dead in his tracks. Not the Common Room, that was accessible to all. He would have to go to his dormitory if he wanted to avoid Millicent.

Hermione and Draco apparated just outside of the castle boundaries, and stood staring at each other in the rain.

''That was so lovely. Thank you.'' Hermione smiled at him, and tiptoed up to kiss him.

''You are entirely welcome, but we need to get inside.'' Draco returned her kiss quickly and hustled her in through the gates, silently hoping that they weren't setting off any alarms. They set off across the grounds, the rain hitting them hard, Hermione's curls slicking back into long streams, and Draco's hair losing its soft fall.

They were near the lake when Hermione turned round so suddenly that Draco bumped into her. ''Hey, what are you doing?'' He began, but stopped as he realised how close Hermione was to him.

''Hey you.'' She whispered breathily, barely audible over the pouring rain. Draco ran his fingers along the sides of her face, slipping them under the wet silk of her hair.

''Hey.'' Looking at her, eyes sparkling in the dim light, a smile plain on her lips, he could barely speak for how beautiful she was. Unable to express his thoughts in a way that wouldn't seem unbelievably trite, he settled for burying his lips in hers, holding her close to him so that she couldn't disappear like the dream he was sure that she was.

Hermione felt the rain pouring down the back of her dress, felt how cold she was getting and forget everything as she felt Draco's warmth against her. The wind rattling around them meant nothing, the storm that seemed to be getting stronger was immaterial, all that mattered was Draco, kissing her harder and harder, not letting her go. She clung to him as though he were her only lifeguard, never wanting to let him go. Suddenly, she felt him pushing her back into the grass. She let him do it, but as soon as he was on top of her, she pushed him over and straddled him, laughing down at him.

''Hermione, are you fighting me for control?'' He looked up at her, mocking her.

''Don't give me that kind of sass when I'm the one on top of you!'' Hermione clapped her hands on his shoulders and pushed back firmly as he attempted to rise. Kissing him as hard as she could, she murmured in his ear, ''If you think I'm lying on the wet grass, you are seriously mistaken.''

''At this point I hardly think it matters. We're both absolutely soaked, if you think about it, I would be keeping you dry. So if you just let me get up…'' Draco trailed off as he noticed that the skirt of Hermione's previously knee length dress had become rucked up to her upper thigh. ''Or I can stay here, whichever suits you.''

Hermione laughed and pushed him back to the grass, feasting on him. He was like the most satisfying meal that she had ever had, but one that never filled her up entirely. She smiled as she arched against him, quite sure that she would never be full enough. Draco watched the beatific smile on her lips and stroked his fingers against her smooth wet skin, cradling her small wet body to him. ''Come on, we're going to get drowned if we stay out here much longer.''

Slipping her dress over her head, buttoning his shirt up haphazardly, they wandered back up to their rooms, linked along the way, with no fear that they would be seen by anyone.

After what was a much longer journey than usual (mainly due to the fact that they couldn't go five paces without one of them pushing the other against a wall), they finally staggered into their common room. Hermione raised her face to Draco's and let him kiss her.

''I've had such a lovely evening.''

''Me too.'' Draco kissed his thumb and pressed it to the corner of her mouth. ''We'll have to do that much more often.''

''Which part?'' Hermione laughed, slipping her arms around his waist. Just as she was about to kiss him again, a small voice came from the chair in front of the smouldering fire.

''Hermione?''

Hermione let go of Draco and reached for her wand, her heart pumping at a million miles a minute, but quickly recognised Ginny. Relief was quickly replaced with horror.

''Ginny, this…this…''

''Hermione, don't be so stupid, of course I knew something was up. Sure, it would have been nice if you could have taken the moment to talk to me about it.'' Ginny breathed in deeply. ''But you have bigger problems than me. I think you need to worry about Zabini.''

AN: Well my lovely readers, wasn't that a lovely, quick update? Hopefully that reassured all the reviewers who wrote to me telling me that I couldn't trash Ginny. If you wanted me to trash Ginny, sorry, but you can't please everyone lol. Plus I would have felt bad! So anyway, stats (just because I love doing them!). Right, we have:

-13980 hits

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How cool is that? Thanks so much guys, I'm really flattered! And my lovely reviewers are: Emerald27, Hanna28, Iluv2dance, Wings of a Rebel, Breezie, Fnicks-Gurlz, Xblackdragonx, The Accountant's Daughter, Cali'sOwnCaliGrown, ILOVERWHPDM, Crystal Slara and Amester. So go on guys, get yourself a mention in the next chapter, and a response from me, simply by telling me what you thought of this chapter! Kisses etc, Petitesorciere xxx


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Hermione collapsed back onto the sofa and stared at her best friend. ''What?''

''Zabini is out for revenge,'' Ginny repeated herself, ''because you have made him look like a complete idiot. You didn't honestly think he'd take it lying down, did you?''

''I…I don't know what I thought,'' Hermione mumbled into her hands.

''Well, as far as I can see, it has put you in a very tricky position, to say the least. Honestly Hermione, you're meant to be the smartest witch of your generation, what the hell possessed you to go along with him?'' Ginny jerked her thumb at Draco.

''Hey! Lay off her!'' Draco sat on the sofa next to Hermione and put his arm around her shoulders. ''Don't worry, we're not going to fall victim to him.''

''It's easy enough for you to say that. But what are you actually going to do?'' Ginny stared coldly at Draco, her eyebrows raised.

''You seem to be forgetting that Blaise is starting off in a much worse position than we are. The entire school thinks that he's mad.'' Draco turned to Hermione, feeling her shaking underneath his arm. ''Go and get changed, you'll die of cold.''

Hermione nodded mutely, and walked into her bedroom, smiling half-heartedly at Ginny as she did so. Ginny smiled back and then swung around to face Draco again, glaring at him.

''It's a shame you couldn't have been so caring before you got her into this entire mess!''

''What?'' Draco stared at her in angry shock. ''This has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with Blaise's twisted mind!''

''And who put Zabini in the position where he has become that twisted? And who put Hermione into the position where she's been drawn into this entire mess?'' Ginny folded her arms in the way that she had seen her mother do a thousand times, but Draco didn't wilt in the same way that her brothers did.

''Hermione got into this of her own free will. I didn't push her into it at all.''

''She just woke up one morning and said 'Malfoy, I want to do something really horrible to Zabini, will you help me?' It happened just like that, did it?''

''Don't be so stupid, of course it didn't! But I didn't force her, and I asked her if she wanted to drop out of it, and she said no.''

''And you think it would be simple enough for her to do that?''

''Why wouldn't it be?'' Draco snarled at her, trying to keep his voice relatively low.

''She obviously has some kind of feeling for you, and she isn't going to be able to just throw that to one side and be rational! And now your stupidity has put her in the position where she's in danger of being attacked by that psycho in your house. I don't think that link should be forgotten!''

''What, we're both in Slytherin, so we both attack normal people at every available opportunity? For Merlin's sake Weasley, grow up! Hermione is not going to be in any danger.''

''And why not? What can you do? Pathetic little boy who runs away from everything scary, and hides behind daddy's robes!''

''That is not who I am Weasley. And Hermione will not be in any danger, because I am going to look after her.''

''Well that's a great comfort to me,'' Ginny said sarcastically, the venom in her voice dripping off her tongue. ''I'm so glad to know that Hermione is being looked after by one of the biggest haters of Muggleborns.''

''Can you not get past the fact that I have changed?'' Draco raised his eyes to heaven, willing himself to retain some degree of control. ''I will look after Hermione, she will look after me, and everything will be fine. You are overreacting about Blaise, he is all mouth and no trousers – just ignore him and he'll sink into obscurity, where he belongs.''

''You've really made yourself a little fool's paradise, haven't you?'' Ginny glared at him and stood up. ''You stay here in your dream world, I'm going to see if Hermione's got any more sense than you.''

As Ginny pushed open her door, Hermione jumped and turned to her, her wet hair pushed back off her face. She was wearing a pair of black pyjamas and a cute pink jumper but looked far from comfortable. ''Ginny…I'm sorry…I should have told you…I'm so sorry.'' Her eyes began to brim with tears and Ginny stepped across the room to hold her tight.

''It's ok, don't worry, I don't mind, you've told me now.'' She murmured into Hermione as she hugged her.

Hermione pulled herself back, took in a deep breath to calm herself and gave Ginny a watery smile. ''I should have told you straight away. I'm really sorry. Oh Merlin, Ginny what the hell am I going to do?''

''So, you believe that this is serious?''

''Of course I do! Ginny, Draco doesn't understand Zabini properly. He's been able to intimidate everyone his entire school life, so he doesn't really notice when people get angry, because he's used to being able to glide above all that. But I've seen Zabini angry and if you say he's out to get us, then I believe you.''

''You need to tell Malfoy. He doesn't believe me, and he thinks he's going to be able to look after you.''

''That's so sweet.'' Hermione smiled dreamily, and then seemed to snap back to reality. ''But is Zabini really serious?''

''Hermione, he showed me you two leaving the school grounds and then tried to turn me against you. I think he's pretty serious if he's trying to recruit supporters.''

''Shit.'' Ginny jumped slightly at the profanity. ''I need to go and tell him.''

''Wait.'' Ginny looked at Hermione. ''He can hang on a bit. I need to know…'' she paused, and Hermione felt her heart beat slightly faster in dread anticipation. ''I need to know how this happened!'' Ginny laughed and Hermione smiled. ''This is the weirdest thing ever, but he must be something kinda special if you're going out with him.''

''Well…it started like this.'' Hermione plumped cross-legged on the bed and began whispering to her friend.

Meanwhile, Draco stared at the fire, not wanting to admit that Ginny might have had a point. He turned his head as he heard a knock on the door. Pulling his wand out of his pocket, he moved slowly over to the door, and pulled it open, his wand at the ready.

Blaise's face loomed out of the dark, grinning at him. ''Draco, always a pleasure.''

''If only I could return the compliment. What do you want?'' Draco made sure that his wand was evident, trying to warn Blaise to watch what he was saying.

''I wanted to talk to you about your charming girlfriend.''

''Not this again.'' Draco sighed contemptuously. ''Piss off Zabini.''

''Don't speak to me like that!'' Before Draco could react, Blaise had his wand thrust up against Draco's neck. ''You've treated me like shit for too long Malfoy, and now you've left yourself vulnerable. You can't honestly expect me not to make the most of this?''

''What the hell are you talking about?'' Draco tried to edge back slightly from the wand tip.

''Don't try and back away now Draco! You've got yourself a little addition in the form of Granger…so sweet and vulnerable, wouldn't you say?''

''I think Hermione's proved that she's fully capable of looking after herself. How long did it take for that Stinging Jinx to go down?''

Blaise's handsome face crumpled into an ugly expression of rage. ''You think you're so tough Malfoy, but you've left yourself a pretty vulnerable spot, and believe me, she will be almost too easy to hurt.''

''Leave Hermione out of this. This entire vendetta is obviously due to your feelings of insignificance, although, let's face it : Zabini vs Malfoy, it's not a very flattering comparison for you, is it?''

Blaise grinned at him. ''Are you sure that's the way it works? I mean, you made a bet to get Hermione to like you, and succeeded, so it obviously isn't too difficult. Maybe I'll get rid of you, and have my wicked way with her.'' Blaise's twisted grin left Draco with no doubt as to his intentions.

''Sick bastard.'' He muttered, feeling the wand jab harder against his jugular.

''Don't worry, I might even wait until your wake to make my move.'' Blaise jabbed a little harder.

''Oh for Merlin's sake.'' Draco decided that he had had enough and quickly raised his hand, knocking the wand off his throat. Before Blaise could react, Draco had thrown his wand up and yelled ''Levicorpus!''

As Blaise was hoisted up in the air by his ankle, Draco stepped forward, their faces level. ''Let me get something perfectly straight Zabini. You are not dealing with Hermione on her own, or me on my own. Both of us are amazing individually, but we're even better together. Take on one of us, and you are taking on both of us.''

Blaise laughed, his voice sounding slightly strangled from the way that he was being held. ''Have you any idea how stupid you sound? Draco, say what you want, but you've made me look like an idiot, and I am going to get my revenge on you!''

''Suspending you in the air really isn't sufficient.'' Draco flicked his wand and Blaise crashed to the floor. Draco flicked his wand again and Blaise's wand zoomed away. Draco thought about keeping his, but some sense of honour prevailed and he tossed it to one side, leaping onto Blaise and pummelling him. Seizing his collar, he pulled him upright and punched him as hard as he could.

''Leave Hermione and I alone! We don't want your filth in our life.'' Blaise didn't even have a chance to retaliate. Draco stood up, panting slightly from the exertion. ''Just piss off Zabini. Get the message.''

Draco stood up and, after throwing one last contemptuous glance at Blaise, picked up his wand and walked back into his quarters, locking the door firmly after him.

Blaise stood up, and caught sight of his pulped face in the reflection in a window. ''Perfect.'' Wincing slightly, he hobbled off along the corridor.

Ginny looked back at Hermione. ''He does sound quite…sweet? I don't know if that's the right word. But if you can look past the way in which this started, and decide that you don't want revenge…I guess that's your prerogative.''

''I know it's nothing like what I would normally do…but…it just feels like I should do this. And don't worry, I'm not asking you to like him. Just, please, don't tell Harry and Ron. I'll tell them, but not yet.''

''You've got to tell them Hermione. You can't live two separate lives forever.''

''I know.'' Hermione buried her head in her hands for a minute. ''I'll talk to Draco, I'll get this Zabini thing sorted, and then I'll sort out Harry and Ron. I promise.''

''Good.'' Ginny hugged her friend and stood up. ''I'm going to go now, just please make sure you make Draco understand Hermione. This isn't going to go away on its own.''

''I know.'' Hermione stood up and walked Ginny out of the quarters. Turning around, she smiled at Draco sitting in a chair by the fire, and then gasped as she saw his knuckles. They were bruised and split, blood trickling down the fingers. There was a large bruise on his neck from where Blaise had been digging his wand in. ''What happened to you?''

''Blaise came by.'' Draco smiled grimly at her. ''He tried to intimidate me.''

''So you beat him up?''

''Yeah.'' Draco reached out to her with his bloody hands, and without even thinking about it, Hermione stepped into their embrace. ''Mione, have I dragged you into this? Because I didn't mean to.''

''You didn't drag me into anything.'' Hermione grabbed a tissue and began dabbing away the blood. ''I entered into this freely. I wish you hadn't gambled your way into it, but you did, and now you're in it because you want to be. Unless this is all some elaborate ploy.'' She bent down and gently kissed his neck, licking delicately at the bruise. Draco sighed in ecstasy and grabbed her chin, guiding her to his lips.

''I don't think I could act out the way I feel for you. Trust me, I'm not going to hurt you again, and I'm not going to let anyone else hurt you. You don't have anything to worry about. I promise.''

Hermione sighed and wriggled further into his lap, thinking all was well.

AN hey everyone hope you enjoyed that chapter. Would do stats and many thanks for reviewers but i'm very very tired, so i'll do shout outs in the next chapter…i got so many reviews and i really want to say thank you, i appreciate all the support i get so much. Kisses, love and all that shizzle Petitesorciere xxxxxxx


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Blaise knocked on the door and let himself into the headmaster's office. The bruising that Draco had left on his face the previous night hadn't lessened at all with the passing of several hours. If anything, it seemed to have become more prominent, covering his face with virulent colours. Snape looked at him, an expression of disgust written across his sallow features.

''And what happened to you?''

''Draco Malfoy, sir.''

''And what did you do to provoke such a response? I know Malfoy, and I know that he is clever enough not to just attack another student.''

''I may have said some rather insensitive things about his relationship with Hermione Granger.''

Snape's nose wrinkled slightly. ''Relationship?''

''They've been seeing each other for a couple of weeks now.''

''Don't be so obtuse Zabini. The pair of them have been at each other's throats since they were first years.''

''Opposites attract sir.'' Blaise shrugged nonchalantly and then winced. ''Why would Malfoy beat me up if it weren't true?''

''How do I know that you're telling the truth?'' Snape couldn't look at his student's disgusting visage anymore, and chose instead to try and stare out of the rain-splattered window.

''I can prove it sir. Give me Veritaserum and I'll say exactly the same thing.'' Blaise leaned forward slightly, a wicked glint in his eyes.

''Fine.'' Snape stood up, intending to call Blaise's bluff and put an end to the ridiculous farce. Draco Malfoy with Granger…it didn't even bear thinking about. He slammed the small bottle down on the table in front of Zabini and watched as he drained it. ''Are Granger and Malfoy embroiled in some kind of…relationship?'' The distaste was plain in his voice.

''Yes.'' Blaise stared at him. ''I walked in on them making out.''

''I don't need to hear any more than that.'' Snape waved his hand imperiously, feeling slightly nauseated. ''What did you mean by telling me that? Obviously I will punish Draco for his behaviour towards you, but I don't doubt that you had some ulterior motive in coming to tell me this.''

''I want you to tell the Dark Lord.'' Blaise smirked slightly, his bruises and cuts quirking.

''You honestly think the Dark Lord would care about something as petty as this? The Malfoy family has lost so much favour that their actions are no longer truly noted. The only thing that the Dark Lord cares about is that they are around when he needs them. And after Draco's disgraceful performance last summer, I doubt very much whether he will ever be called to the inner circle of the Deatheaters. He is immaterial.''

Blaise looked forlornly at Snape. ''So it doesn't matter that he's with that…Mudblood?''

''Frankly, no.'' Snape took the bottle away from Blaise and turned it over in his long pale fingers. ''Furthermore, why would the Dark Lord care about the affairs of school children when he is involved in a war that will determine the future nature of the entire wizarding world?''

''I just thought…''

''No, you didn't think Zabini. As per usual. I will see that Malfoy is punished, but I would advise you not to take this any further. Malfoy's involvement with Granger will be his own punishment in the end. And I believe you have been humiliated quite enough recently.'' And with that, Snape turned his back on Zabini, indicating that their meeting was at an end. Blaise's mouth tightened unpleasantly, and he pushed his chair back brusquely and stormed out of the room.

As soon as he had descended down the curving stairs, and made it past the gargoyle, he slumped against the wall. Detention for Draco wasn't a good enough solution. He would have to take matters further into his own hands. He heaved himself off the wall and began to make his way back to his dormitory.

Later that morning, the owl arrived from the Headmaster, informing Draco that he would serve detention for his actions towards Blaise. Hermione came into the room as he was reading it, looped her arms around his waist and tiptoed so that she could read the note over his shoulder.

''Poor you.''

''It's only detention.'' He shrugged and turned around to kiss her. ''Hopefully this way Zabini will feel that he's gotten even with me and he'll leave it at that.''

''I don't think he will Draco.'' Hermione looked up at him, her eyes wide. ''You really laid into him, and if I know Zabini at all, he's going to put a lot more effort into a revenge plan than getting you detention.''

''Stop worrying about it.'' Draco smiled at her, laughing off her concern.

''Draco, please. Listen to me.'' Hermione placed her hands on his cheeks and guided his face so that he had to look her in the eye. ''I just want to make sure that neither of us gets hurt.''

''I promise you, we will both be fine.'' Draco raised his eyebrows, slightly irritated.

''Draco, how can you make that promise? Are you totally confident?''

''Yes! For Merlin's sake!'' Draco shook her hands off and went back to reading his message. ''I have to do the detention tonight.''

''What do you have to do?''

''Clean out the trophy room by hand.''

''I'll come and keep you company.'' Hermione looked at his back. ''If you want me to, that is?''

''Are you sure Zabini won't be there, lurking in some corner, waiting to attack me?'' Draco turned around and grinned at her.

''Draco! I was being serious!'' Hermione looked at him in exasperation.

''So was I. You have to come and protect me. Watch my back as I clean like a house elf.''

''No shame in that.'' But Hermione was already smiling slightly, unable to resist his charm. ''Well, I suppose I could drop in.''

''But what if he does come and attack me?''

''Are you being serious now?''

''I'm trying to show you that it doesn't matter! Hermione, both of us are more than a match for him, and he isn't even going to try anything. We're both the golden pupils of our houses, and we've both got a hell of a lot of support – we aren't going to disappear into a Zabini-created obscurity any time soon. I know you and Weasley are worried about it, but please, just trust me.''

''You promise me nothing will happen?''

''I promise.'' Draco held out his arms, and Hermione wriggled into his chest, sniffing his scent. ''Nothing is going to hurt either of us.''

That evening, Filch escorted Draco into the trophy room, wordlessly thrust cleaning materials at him and left the room. Draco raised his eyebrows and sighed as he saw the mountains of trophies. It was so humiliating to be doing this. It was bad enough that he had to sit through one of Snape's lectures, with the usual clichés about disappointments, setting good examples and responsibility, but to have to do a first year punishment…he sighed again and began work.

Blaise's eyes shone hungrily in the gloom of the corridor as he watched Hermione move surreptitiously into the trophy room. All he heard was ''You know, house elves work a lot harder than that'' before the door swung shut again. He smirked. Things were falling into place just as he had hoped.

''I'm working bloody hard I'll have you know.'' Draco swung around and stared at her mockingly.

''A Malfoy doing menial labour? What is the world coming to?'' Hermione laughed, her hands resting lightly on her hips. ''Go on, get on with it.''

''I can think of much more interesting things to do.'' Draco tossed the rag he was using to one side and advanced on her. Hermione smiled and dodged away from him.

''Draco, I don't think I would be able to forgive myself if you didn't get your work done.''

''Oh for Merlin's sake.'' Draco shot out an arm and grabbed her wrist, pulling her sharply into him.

''Ow!'' Hermione poked him in mock outrage. ''That hurt!''

''Really?''

''A little.'' Hermione turned away from him and poked her nose into the air.

Draco laughed slightly and reached for her wrist, gently bringing it to his lips and kissing it, feeling the delicate bones beneath his mouth, teasing the soft skin with his tongue. ''Please forgive me, I had no idea you were so fragile.''

''I'm not fragile!''

''You are.'' Draco gently nipped her wrist and released it. ''Delicate little flower.''

''Patronising git.'' Hermione pushed him back, laughing all the time. ''Go and do your work.''

''No.'' Draco grabbed her and gently pushed her against the wall, kissing her hard. Hermione leaned back, gasping slightly as he kissed her neck, hitting the spots that he knew she liked. Unable to take the rising sensations, she grabbed his face and pulled it to hers, kissing his upper lip as he kissed her lower one, their mouths meeting again and again, and their tongues dancing.

Draco began to push Hermione to the floor, but she shoved back, her breathing uneven and her hair disarrayed. ''Not in here, what if someone walks in?''

''Then they'll see what all the fuss is about.'' But Draco was sitting up, brushing Hermione's curls off her face, and stroking her soft, reddened lips. She looked back at his handsome face and couldn't help smiling.

''What are you smiling at?'' He chucked her chin and stood up, offering her his hand.

She took it and let him pull her to her feet. ''You. You're so gorgeous.''

''No, you are. I'm so lucky.''

''No, I'm so lucky.''

''No, this is getting way too clichéd.'' Draco looked at the room, moonlight coming in through the windows that looked out onto the grounds. He could see the Whomping Willow thrashing in the rain. Looking back at Hermione, a silvery glint in her hair, he smiled. ''Hermione, I…no, don't worry.''

''What?''

''I'll tell you later.''

''A good 'I'll tell you later'?'' she asked.

''I'm pretty sure you'll like it.'' He grinned at her, thinking of how she would look when he told her that every day he fell more and more in love with her.

''I'll leave you to get on then, so you can enlighten me.'' Hermione reached up and kissed him.

Draco turned around as she left the room, determined to get on with the work as quickly as possible, so that he could go back to Hermione. In fact, he was so intent upon his work that he failed to notice the red flash that shone briefly through the cracks in the closed door. He was moving the trophies around and so he failed to hear Hermione's body hitting the floor as an effect of Blaise's stunning spell.

It was mere chance that caused him to look up at the precise moment that Blaise, standing at the school gates, threw an owl into the air, a scrap of parchment tied to its leg. Draco narrowed his eyes as he saw one figure hurry through the school gates, levitating another behind it. But it was gone so quickly that he dismissed it as a figment of his imagination, created by the dark and the pouring rain.

But then the owl came to the window, tapping frantically against the glass. His eyebrows furrowed, Draco reached out and loosened the catch, grabbing the owl as it flew into the room. Pulling the parchment of its leg, he unfurled it, and looked at Blaise's blocky print.

She'll be in the Shrieking Shack. Better hurry Draco, it's Showtime, and you wouldn't want to miss the curtain going up.

Draco threw the parchment down and ran out of the room, the window banging in the wind, rain coming in and spattering the freshly polished trophies. The owl hooted softly and took a perch above the door, burying its head in its chest. It didn't see Draco's tall figure running across the wet grass, slipping and sliding in the dim light, as he sought Hermione.

AN: well that was a longer chapter than usual – to make up for not updating for forever! I've been quite busy, and I will admit that procrastination played a part…I'm so sorry! So anyway, shall we do the stats, because I'm seriously impressed:

-19395 hits

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-belongs to 4 C2 archives (HP's lush pairing: Dramione, Science is always right: opposites do attract, acq233's need to read and the best Harry Potter fanfics ever – thank you everyone, that's a real honour).

So anyway, my reviewers for the past two chapters have been : dracoshott28, the Accountant's Daughter, Hanna28, Emerald27, Silent-Mousie, Amester, Wings of a Rebel, HarryPGinnyW4eva, Missy Muggle Witch, Cali'sOwnCaliGrown, Uber-l33t Rabid Ninja Squirrels, breezie, CutebIndeGoddess, iluv2dance, ILOVERWHPDM, JillianUnleashed, Fnicks-Gurlz, Cali4me92, Crystal Slara, Mrs Rose Elric, Kathryn Valmont, Natada Ainthe, Dracogirl4evr, year1989rocks, Xblackdragonx, bubbes, keske, lena-hearts-jack, poeta, Sunshine Angel and cmtaylor531. Thank you so much everyone, I appreciate it so much. Anyway, if you would let me know what you think of this chapter, I will love you forever and ever. Have a great weekend everyone – much love, Petitesorciere xxx


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

By the time Draco arrived at the Shrieking Shack he was soaked through to the bone. He hadn't even thought about stopping to cast a charm to protect himself from the rain, sprinting as fast as he could to the battered old house.

He pushed open the creaking door, his wand at the ready. No one was on the lower level of the house, and he began to move as quietly as he could towards the stairs. A floorboard creaked behind him and he spun around, but it was simply the age of the house causing it to creak. A thick layer of dust lay on everything, but a trail of footprints led to the stairs. Draco slid his feet inaudibly along the floorboards, creeping through the murky gloom. He stepped on the first step and felt it give slightly beneath his weight. A loud noise echoed through the shadows as the stair gave and scraped against the floor. Draco cursed under his breath. If Zabini was in here, there was no way that he hadn't heard that.

He took another step, trying not to make too much noise, but not worrying about being silent. Draco was two steps from the top of the flight of stairs when Zabini appeared in front of him, standing above him.

''And rightful positions are assumed Malfoy. You beneath me like the snivelling blood traitor that you are.''

''And who was the one who said Hermione was gorgeous? What the hell have you done with her?'' Draco snarled, his wand still brandished.

''Enough talking.'' Blaise flicked his wand and Draco was spun head over heels as his ankle hoisted him in the air. His wand dropped from his hands, and he found himself looking up at Blaise from an even lower level, who smirked at him. ''You were right. Suspending you in the air really isn't sufficient.''

And with that, Blaise's fist shot forward, crunching into Draco's cheekbone. His signet ring tore skin off Draco's face, leaving blood running down into his eyes, stinging painfully. ''My that's satisfying.'' Blaise grinned at the sight of the scarlet liquid dripping into the dust, darkening as it did so. Draco groaned and opened his mouth to speak but Blaise waved his wand again. ''I've listened to you for too long. Now you're going to listen to me.'' Draco opened his mouth but nothing came out, and there was no amount of struggling he could do that could stop Blaise ripping one single strand of hair off his head.

Draco writhed silently as Blaise levitated him into a room across the corridor, where Hermione was lying peacefully on a large bed, the covers pulled back. A bruise was blossoming on her temple where she had hit the floor when Blaise stunned her, but other than that she seemed to be unharmed. Blaise turned to Draco.

''Isn't she pretty? So innocent. So harmless. So defenceless. Now, what does your bedroom look like again?'' Blaise laughed to himself and waved his wand. The dusty hangings transformed to emerald green, and Draco was forced to watch helplessly as Blaise turned the ancient room into a close copy of the head boy's room, giggling to himself all the while.

Finally, he turned to Draco and raised his hands as though waiting for approval. ''You like? Just one final touch I think.'' Draco looked around, wondering what Blaise could possibly do now, just as a cold feeling trickled down his spine. Blaise had cast a disillusionment charm on him, leaving him completely invisible to anyone who could walk in and…further frostiness spread through him, a chill that had nothing to do with the spell. He would be invisible to Hermione.

Blaise pulled out the hair that he had stolen from Draco earlier and dropped it into a glass of thick, murky liquid. It shimmered and then turned into a glistening silver. Draco watched helplessly, his words to Hermione floating through his head – 'Hermione, both of us are more than a match for him, and he isn't even going to try anything…nothing is going to hurt us.' Well that had turned out well, both of them at the mercy of his increasingly psychotic classmate. Draco closed his eyes and tipped his head forward as Blaise raised the glass in a mock toast and downed it in one.

Instantly, his hair lightened to silvery blonde, his brown eyes shifting until they became blue-grey. He grew several inches and his posture seemed to grow more confident as he watched his skin bubbling. Finally, the transformation was complete.

''I've always wondered what it would feel like to be you. Not as special as I thought it would be.'' He smiled, knowing that Draco's muted voice was silently screaming, raging at him. ''You haven't seen anything yet. Isn't the irony just delicious?''

And with that taunt, he turned and lay on the bed next to Hermione, tugging and arranging her limp body so that it was hugged close to his. He muttered 'enervate', and Hermione's eyelids fluttered. Her brown eyes looked at the fake-Draco's and she smiled.

''Draco?''

''That would be me.'' Blaise stroked a strand of hair off her face and Draco began writhing harder and harder, silently willing Hermione to notice that something was wrong.

''Where…where am I?'' She glanced around the room, clearly disorientated.

''My room silly. You feel asleep in the common room, and you were there when I came back from my detention so I just brought you up here.''

''Oh. That's weird.'' Hermione stretched languorously against Blaise, and Draco watched as his own eyes widened appreciatively. ''I've just had the most horrible dream.''

''Really? What happened?'' Draco tried to lunge forward as Blaise's arm slid around Hermione's shoulders, and the long fingers began caressing her neck and face.

''Oh…I went down to see you, and as I came out of the room, Blaise was standing in front of me and he stunned me…I think.''

''Well, it was just a dream.'' Blaise was cursing himself for not modifying her memory. ''Nothing to worry about. Nothing's going to hurt you.''

Draco's face drew back in a silent grimace at the horror of hearing his own glib words repeated back to him. If we get out of this alive, I solemnly swear that I will always listen to Hermione's warnings, he promised himself.

But Hermione, not truly expecting anything was curling herself further into Blaise. ''Will you make my nightmare go away?'' She smiled coquettishly and even given the circumstances, Draco couldn't help smiling back at her.

Blaise clearly couldn't believe his luck. He pushed Hermione back against the bed and moved his body over hers. She slid her hands around his neck and pulled his face down to hers. Waiting for that second of blissful anticipation that Draco always left….

And that now seemed to have been forgotten? Hermione's brow furrowed as she was kissed. Something wasn't right. Draco was being too hard, too forceful, with none of the dreamy passion that left her tingling, with weak knees.

A sudden sense of recognition swept over her as she remembered standing in the sick bay, craning her neck to try and see over Blaise's shoulder to the clock, to see if she could leave yet. Blaise's tongue circled her mouth once more, scraping around and Hermione pushed hard at his shoulders.

Blaise pulled back in shock, only to have Hermione wriggle quickly out from underneath him. She stared at him with horrified wide eyes.

''You aren't Draco.''

''Hermione? Don't be stupid.'' Blaise held his hands out to her, and any of Hermione's lasting doubts were vanquished. Draco would have raised an eyebrow questioningly and asked her who he was meant to be, if he wasn't Draco.

''Who are you? You're Blaise aren't you?'' Hermione's face was screwed up in anger and revulsion. ''What are you doing you freak?''

Blaise pulled out his wand in anger – this time he would erase her memory so that she had never wanted Malfoy, just him. Hermione pointed at his wand.

''And that's Blaise's wand! Get away from me.'' She turned and tried to run towards the door, but crashed into something solid suspended in mid air. The spell holding Draco had been wearing off and it seemed that that final jolt knocked him loose. He collapsed to the floor, knocking Hermione beneath him. Hermione's hands ran over his body, until they found his face. She explored the contours, smiling briefly as she recognised his features, frowning as she felt the drying blood on his face. And then his warm weight was gone and footsteps were heard leaving the room.

Hermione gasped and turned around to Blaise, who was advancing on her, glaring down at her. ''And the little Mudblood's left all alone. Even your wonderful boyfriend's deserted you.''

But before he could raise his wand any higher, a red light sent him flying back across the room. Draco's wand was hovering in mid air. A couple of flicks later and Draco's body freed itself from the disillusionment charm and the silencing jinx.

Hermione flew to her feet and dashed at him. ''I thought…I thought you were going.'' She buried her face in his neck.

''Don't be a bloody idiot.'' One of Draco's hands caressed the back of her neck, the other held a wand steady at Blaise's prone form. The polyjuice potion was wearing off, and Hermione shuddered to think what could have happened to her.

''I don't know where my wand is.'' She whispered.

''Accio Hermione's wand.'' The simple words sent the wand out of Blaise's pocket and into Hermione's waiting hands.

''What now?''

''Take him back to Hogwarts. Tell someone, and get this whole thing sorted. Somehow.'' Draco flicked his wand and let Blaise lift off the ground. ''I suppose we're going to have to go to Snape.''

''Professor McGonagall first. She'll actually listen to us.'' Hermione rubbed gently at Draco's face, smoothing away the streaked blood.

So our hero and heroine went off, their fortunes seemingly reversed. Blaise was imprisoned, and they arrived in McGonagall's office with no mishaps. And then the lady herself came in.

''Mr Malfoy, will you please release Mr Zabini.'' She looked disapprovingly at Blaise's limp form, dangling from one ankle.

''I…'' Draco tried to protest but decided it was in his best interest to just obey. ''Of course.'' Blaise crashed to the floor. One eyelid cracked open and slowly took in surroundings.

Hermione began explaining to her teacher, but before she could get any further than ''Draco and I have been in a relationship for sometime Professor, and Blaise has been…'', Blaise's body hurtled from the floor, tackled Draco to the floor.

He seized Draco's hand and pressed it to the Dark Mark residing on his arm.

He laughed and stared at all of them. ''Now we'll see if the Dark Lord cares about school matters.''

Hermione ran to Draco's side and helped him up, and then saw his forearm. The Dark Mark was vibrant black.

AN: There, a lovely quick update for you! I had to get this one done quickly because I had the idea last night while I was in bed, and I didn't want it to go away – so I hope you enjoyed it (cliffhanger ending and all). You know how you can let me know if you enjoyed it? That's right – a review! You know you want to…so indulge yourself lol. Anyway, I've had like a thousand more hits since the last review, many more lovely people have favourited the story or asked for alerts on it. And my tres lovely reviewers are :

Dracrashed, Evanescent Angel, Dracoshott28, Miss Audrey, iluv2dance, Dracogirl4evr, cmtaylor531, ILOVERWHPDM, Cali'sOwnCaliGrown, year1989rocks, breezie, HarryPGinnyW4eva, CutebIndeGoddess and keske.

So please leave me a review, I am very sad and am thrilled to get each and every one! Much love…Petitesorciere xxx


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Draco clapped his hand over the Dark Mark, trying to hide the stain on his arm. It felt warm, growing in heat as the seconds slowly passed. Hermione stared at him in horror.

''Is he coming?''

''I don't know, I've never…never done that. I would have been…I'm going to be killed for this.'' Draco was staring at Hermione, willing her to come up with some clever solution. His brain was frosting over, unable to think of anything except the heat on his arm, growing and growing, becoming white-hot. ''Hermione, only his closest Deatheaters can call him like that, and that's hardly me. He's going to kill me.'' A horrible limpness seemed to spread through his body.

Hermione stepped forward and hugged him fiercely, her arms tight around his neck. ''He isn't going to do anything to you.''

''Hermione…''

''No! You promised me that we would be ok as long as we stuck together and we're sticking together.''

''Yeah, and look at how well that promise turned out beforehand,'' Draco mumbled into her neck, not wanting to admit how secure she was making him feel, her warmth pressed against him.

''Well, it wasn't ideal, but we are ok, aren't we?'' Hermione pulled back and smiled at him. ''We're doing better than that nutter.'' She pointed over his shoulder and Draco turned around. Blaise was leaning against the wall, smirking to himself, completely lost in his own world. Draco pulled out his wand. ''Stupefy!''

A red light hit Blaise's chest and he slumped to the floor. Draco looked back at Professor McGonagall, who seemed slightly shocked by the sudden turn of events. ''Am I to presume that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is coming to Hogwarts?''

''Yeah.'' Draco put his arm around Hermione's shoulders, not wanting to lose her warmth.

''We should get everyone out of Hogwarts now. While we still can.'' Hermione looked at her teacher and slid her hand around Draco's waist.

The older witch looked at her two students, wondering why they had to go for house unity now. Both of them were looking back at her with entirely fierce eyes, daring her to tell them to split apart. She smiled weakly and left the room, for once, lost for words.

Hermione turned to Draco and took his arm. The Dark Mark was still glowing. ''What's taking so long?''

''He isn't going to feel obligated to come running for me. I'm not an important Deatheater.'' Draco looked at his arm and truly appreciated how ugly the Mark was. He looked like branded cattle.

''But you really think he's going to come?''

''I don't think he would miss out on the chance to either find Potter, or to torture someone who's called him for the wrong thing.''

''Come on.'' Hermione grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the room, pulling him behind her as she ran through the corridors.

''Hermione! Where are we going? What's the big rush?'' Draco looked around their common room in puzzlement. ''I know it's a nice room, but I don't think it's going to help us right now.''

''We're leaving. Grab your stuff.''

''What?''

''Draco, do you trust me?'' Hermione stared at him, her tawny eyes wide. ''If we stay here, we are both going to end up dead.''

''So, we run? And where do we go?'' Draco looked back at her.

''Yes, we run. Anywhere! We can do this! If we stay here Draco, we will both die. Hogwarts is entirely unprepared for attack – for Merlin's sake, it has a Deatheater as a Headmaster! The Order of the Phoenix won't be able to help anyone. Professor McGonagall will get all the students out, I know she will. And we can go, and we can fight him in our own way, and we can do it on our terms, rather than holed up in a castle waiting for him to come and find us!''

Draco felt a small spring of hope in his heart – that could just work…if they took everything they could, they would be able to live, if not comfortably, adequately at least.

''I mean, there will be look outs for us, which is going to make everything difficult, but I know we can do it.'' Hermione looked at Draco who seemed lost in his own world, and her mind fled, unbidden back to one of their earlier conversations:

''We're not that different.'' Draco wrapped a curl of her hair around his finger. ''We both know what we want, we both go out and get it, neither of us is afraid of a challenge, and we know when to hold onto a good thing.''

''Just our belief systems differentiating us then.'' Hermione gestured towards the Dark Mark that was vivid on his pale skin. ''I can't believe I'm doing this with someone who has that.''

''Hermione…''

''I don't want to talk about it Draco.'' Hermione pressed her fingers to his lips. ''We aren't going to agree…''

Hermione turned back to Draco. ''Unless you don't want to come with me. Unless you really are a Deatheater.''

Draco snapped back to reality. ''What? No!''

''Then say something!'' Hermione grabbed at her hair in frustration. ''Don't just leave me standing here, babbling on, if you don't agree with me, and if you'd rather take your chances with the man that you let brand you!''

''I was thinking that we're going to need to remove this or he's going to be able to trace us.'' Draco held out his forearm. ''Any ideas, oh Wise One?''

Hermione stood still. ''So you're coming? You don't want to be a Deatheater?''

''Hermione, ignore the thing on my arm. Other than this, in all the time that we've been close have I acted like a Deatheater? Once you managed to separate me from what I'd been told all my life, did I act like a Deatheater?''

''No…but, how do I know?''

''Because I'm not Malfoy anymore. I'm Draco. And you aren't just some girl that I bully, you're Hermione.''

''And that makes everything ok?''

''No, because we're about to go on the run. But it does mean that we can trust each other, because we aren't enemies.'' Hermione smiled, and Draco stepped forward, rubbing his hands on her upper arms. ''I trust you, and I know that you always know what you're doing, and I'm in love with you.''

''I'm in love with you too.'' Hermione smiled even more broadly. ''Give me your arm. I used tracking charms before, so if that's just woven in, I can probably withdraw that charm. Although I don't think I can get rid of the Mark.''

As soon as Hermione began moving her wand, Draco felt the heat leaving his arm, pulling away from his skin. Soon, the charm was shimmering in a small ball in mid air. ''Probably best if we avoid that from now on.'' Hermione withdrew her wand from Draco's arm, and looked at him.

''So you want to go?''

Draco clamped his hands on either side of her head and flamboyantly kissed her forehead. ''Of course.''

''Draco?''

''That would be me.'' He looked back at her, smiling down at her.

''How come you make the distinction between loving someone and being in love with them?'' Hermione blushed. ''I'm not trying to get you to say…but I was just wondering.''

''You pick your moments don't you?'' Draco flicked his wand and sent their trunks flying down the stairs, clothes and other things zooming after them. ''We can shrink those and levitate them after us when they're packed. Now, what were you saying?''

Hermione looked at him mock-angrily. ''Stop acting so clever, and answer me.''

''I love my family, I would love my friends if I had any close ones. I can love anyone. I'm in love with you though, because when I look at the people I love my heart doesn't beat faster, and I don't want to grin at them like a fool. So while I can love you, I love being in love with you because it reminds me how special you are, and how lucky I am.''

''Draco Malfoy has a soft side?'' Hermione looked to one side, not wanting to admit how touched she was by what he had just said. But she realised that she needed to, and turned back to look at him, twining her fingers through his hair as she pulled him closer to her. ''That's such a perfect thing to say.''

Draco didn't bother answering, just took her lower lip and sucked it gently, pulling it into his mouth and nibbling gently. Hermione moaned and grabbed his neck, trying to drag him closer to her. Then realised what was happening and pulled herself back. ''No! Come on, we're meant to be making a speedy escape!''

Draco pulled himself back and looked at her. ''You sure we don't have time?''

''I am not going to die because my hormones couldn't wait half an hour for us to get somewhere safe. Do you have a tent? Because I can't see it being very safe for us to try and get a room somewhere.''

''We'll be alright tonight. We can check into a Muggle hotel in London, get a tent tomorrow and go from there.'' Draco waved his wand at the trunks, and two little boxes were bobbing along behind the pair of them. ''We don't have the Trace on us, so they won't be able to find us that way.''

''The students are already leaving.'' Hermione said idly, noting the small figures scurrying across the wet grass.

Draco hugged her from behind, feeling the gentle curve of her hips against his hand. ''We should go. I've never stayed in a Muggle hotel before. I'm quite excited.''

Hermione turned around and hugged him, and then saw the charm hanging in the air flash brightly. ''Draco, he's coming, we need to go! Now!''

They cast Disillusionment Spells on themselves and ran down the stairs, following the exodus of students, clutching each other as they trotted across the slippery grass.

Blaise's eyes opened slowly to meet with cruel red slits.

''My Lord!'' He dropped his gaze straight away, unable to look at the mercilessness apparent in the simple gaze. ''I was the one that forced Draco Malfoy to call you. He is a blood traitor.''

''And you think the Dark Lord cares about such matters?'' A tall Deatheater stepped forward, his voice ringing clearly from behind his mask.

''Silence Avery.'' Voldemort waved a hand carelessly at him to hush the tall man. ''Why is Draco a blood-traitor?''

''He is in a relationship with the Mudblood Hermione Granger.'' Blaise told his lap, mumbling. Voldemort's bloodless lips smiled slightly.

''I doubt very much that they will still be in this castle. Even if they are, we let them escape and watch for them. Sooner or later, they will lead us to Potter and his pathetic Order.'' He turned to sweep out of the room, Nagini slithering after him.

''My Lord! What about me?'' Blaise called, suddenly aware of his position. ''Can I come with you?''

Voldemort turned around, and then looked at Bellatrix Lestrange. ''Bring him. He may be useful.''

Blaise scrambled to his feet and joined the procession tailing after the evil man. He felt his wand in his pocket, looked at the men and women surrounding him and smiled. Now he truly had the upper hand.

Hermione pushed open the door to the hotel room and stepped inside. Draco followed her, looking around curiously. ''I've never seen half of these things.''

''You see, now this is where you missed out. I suppose you'll never have watched television.''

''What's that?''

''It would take a while to explain. And it would be pointless to explain, because we aren't going to be able to watch it. I need to put up protection spells and they'll probably stop it working.''

''Oh.'' Draco wandered off and began poking around the room, while Hermione began murmuring and brushing her wand through the air. Eventually she was finished and turned to Draco, who was lounging on one of the beds, looking at her through appraising eyes.

''Am I meeting with your approval?''

''As always.'' Draco rolled to one side so that she could be next to him. ''So what do we do now?''

''We make our own entertainment.'' Hermione winked at him and laughed as he tipped her backwards against the pillows. Draco brushed her hair back off her face and gently kissed her hairline, letting his lips caress the sensitive skin of her scalp. Hermione ran her hands down his back and then opened her eyes in shock as Draco grabbed her hands, stopping their progress. He grinned at her and pinned her hands above her head, stretching her body out against his. Unable to move very much, Hermione simply surrendered to the sensations : the soft pillows underneath her head, Draco's soft hair, his soft skin, the scent of his cologne, the warmth of his body laid out next to hers. Tipping her head back, she smiled to herself, and let Draco control her. For now, at least.

AN: Hey everyone! I'm so sorry for leaving it so long for updating – been rather swamped for the past week. Anyway, slightly longer chapter than usual for you. Didn't go at all the way I thought it would have gone – I had been intending for them to have a big showdown at Hogwarts, but I didn't think that would work so it went a different way. Anyhoo, wonderful reviewers for last chapter were: Cal8907, Xblackdragonx, Fnicks-Gurlz, pApAw, Emerald27, Miss Audrey, writerchick13, dracoshott28,

x-.Hollie.-x, breezie, alygdgrl, bubbes, HarryPGinnyW4eva, The Accountant's Daughter, ILOVERWHPDM, iluv2dance, year1989rocks, Dracogirl4evr, Sacred Wishes, Dracrashed, CalisOwnCaliGrown, and Crystal Slara. Thank you so much guys, this story now has 256 reviews, and over 23 000 hits! I promise to update as soon as possible (as soon as course essay deadlines are met)! Much love…Petitesorciere xxx


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

Draco wakened from his sleep with his eyes wide open and a sense of horror enveloping him. All the events of the previous evening rushed back into his head, a cold stream of anger, frustration and panic hitting him. His breathing slowed slightly as he looked around the small hotel room, taking in the Muggle features. Hermione was breathing quietly next to him, curled up like a cat, her back pressing against him.

Gently extricating himself from the covers, Draco wandered over to the window and pressed his forehead against the cold glass. It felt bizarre to know that rain was streaming down only a centimetre away from his face, while he remained completely dry. His life was much like that at this precise moment in time, he reflected. He was safe in his insulated little bubble but the moment that he tried to step outside, the entire deluge would fall on him. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled as he saw Hermione.

Pulling on jeans and a t-shirt, he walked up to door and pressed his ear to it, unable to hear anyone outside. Tucking his wand into his pocket, he let himself out quietly, and began walking along the blandly decorated corridors, marking the number of steps he took and in which direction. A man nodded to him as they passed briefly.

Eventually Draco arrived in the hotel reception and nodded at the young receptionist, yawning behind the desk. Her eyes widened appreciatively.

''Are you ok there sir?''

''Er…fine. Actually, do you have a paper?'' Draco scratched the top of his head, feeling slightly embarrassed by the intensity with which she was staring at him.

''Of course. Is there one that you'd prefer?''

Draco's eyes widened, what the hell was he meant to say? He had no idea what the names of Muggle papers were. ''What have you got?''

''The Times, the Telegraph, the Daily Mail, the Guardian, the Independent and the Sun.'' A wide smile accompanied what Draco was sure was pretty much just a list of random gibberish.

''Er…the Sun? I suppose you have to be optimistic with this kind of weather.'' He laughed lamely, jumped slightly as the receptionist brayed with laughter and took the red-top newspaper that she offered him. ''Thanks.''

He bowed his head and made his way back into the maze of corridors, his head swimming. Was this how Hermione had felt when she had found out that she was a witch and had to enter into the wizarding world? Completely displaced and unsure of what she was meant to do, how she was meant to react to anything? Shaking his head, reminding himself that he was Draco Malfoy and therefore not subject to uncertainty, he walked swiftly back into the room.

Hermione was still asleep when he came in, this time wrapped tightly in the sheets, smiling slightly to herself as she dreamily rubbed her cheek against the pillow. He laughed softly and looked around, feeling the need for coffee. There was…was that a kettle? But why was it attached to the wall with a rope? He poked tentatively at a switch on it and watched as a light flickered on, and then, with a loud click, pinged straight back off. Hermione sat bolt upright as she heard the noise, and then smiled as she saw what Draco was doing, instantly recognising what the problem was.

''It won't work, we've got too much magic in the room for the electricity to work.''

''Electricity?''

''It's a kind of energy that Muggles have harnessed, and they use it to like, heat up things and stuff.''

''How dreary.'' Draco filled the kettle from a tap, and then pointed his wand at it, letting it boil quickly. ''Where's the coffee?''

''Small sachet in the basket.''

''Powdered coffee?''

''You aren't at Hogwarts anymore.'' Hermione giggled at the look of utter consternation on his face, and knelt up in the bed, wrapping herself in the sheet. Crawling towards him, she reached towards him, and he came and sat on the end of the bed. Sitting behind him, she wrapped her arms around his chest and kissed the side of his neck.

''We ought to go soon, I suppose.''

''Probably. Not for a bit though.'' Draco began stalling for time, entranced by the contrast between Hermione's smooth, warm skin, and the cotton of the sheets. ''I got a paper. Only a Muggle one.''

''Only a 'muggle' one. Talk about prejudice. Which one did you get?'' Hermione's eyes widened as he brought out the copy of the Sun. ''Why did you get that one?''

''What one was I meant to get? Wizards are normal, they have one newspaper! She just told me about a million names, and none of them sounded normal! What's wrong with this one?''

Hermione tugged the inky pages out of his hands and flicked them to the third page. ''I don't think this is the most accurate reporting of the news you could ever get.''

Draco looked back at her, and grinned. ''Clearly I've underestimated Muggles. They do have the right idea when it comes to newspapers.''

''What do you mean?'' Hermione looked at him, her eyes laughing and incredulous.

''Well, the Daily Prophet certainly doesn't have a girl in her knickers posing on page three.''

''Well, it's a great Muggle tradition.'' Hermione rolled her eyes sarcastically. ''You aren't going to get any information about the state of the country in this paper.''

She pulled the paper out of his hands, and threw it to the bedroom floor, and then kissed his neck again. ''We really should get going.''

''Not yet.'' Draco turned around, his eyes hazy with lust and love. ''Remember, it's an official rule. You aren't allowed to kiss me like that and then leave.''

''Are you trying to force me to do something I don't want to do Mr Malfoy?'' Hermione tipped her chin into the air defiantly and fluttered her eyelashes at him.

''No, I'm opening your mind to new possibilities.'' Draco laughed and pushed her back onto the bed, entangling the pair of them in the sheets even more. ''Stop wriggling, I can't get at you.''

But Hermione had already pushed him off her and was sitting on top of him, panting slightly. ''Pinned ya.''

''You think I'm complaining?'' Draco looked up at her, proud and defiant, and wondered why he had ever wanted to destroy what it was that made her vibrant.

''I don't feel you complaining…in fact…'' Hermione laughed as Draco's hands clamped around her small waist and pulled her closer, biting, licking, sucking and kissing. ''Stop that!''

Draco pulled back and looked at her in shock. ''You think I'm going to let you be in control two times in a row?''

And with that, Draco was pushed back against the pillows, his eyes widening in bliss as Hermione flowed over him like quicksilver, moving too fast and too well for there to be anything other than a constant feeling of bliss. Her tongue flickered over him, tasting the salt of his skin, feeling every texture, revelling in every little shudder that she managed to invoke in him. Finally, Draco could take no more and had to pull her closer to him, their bodies becoming one.

''We really enjoy that far too much. It's slowing us right down.'' Hermione gasped, as she lay back against his chest, her hair tossed out behind her. ''Honestly, desire will be the death of us.''

''It's because we're so good at it. We need to keep practising.'' Draco stroked her hair gently, twisting the curls.

''Romance, thy name is Draco Malfoy.'' Hermione pulled herself upright reluctantly and looked back at her lover. ''Come on, we need to go and buy a tent.''

''Do we have to?'' But Draco was already moving, yanking a t-shirt over his head, ruffling his hair. ''But a wizarding one, yes?''

''Well, I have no intention of sleeping in a Muggle one, so if you want to do that you'll be doing it on your own.'' Hermione zipped up her jeans and brushed her hair. ''Diagon Alley?''

''Come on.'' Draco held out her hand and felt the unmistakeable jolt that passed through him every time they touched. ''You're going to insist on us paying the bill, aren't you?''

''Of course I am!'' Without another word on the matter, Hermione dragged him down the stairs, and paid the bill, dealing effortlessly with the glares that the receptionist shot at her and with the lustful stares that Draco received.

Draco moved up behind her and kissed her neck. ''I'll get the tent.''

''Let's go then.'' Bowing their heads, they ran out into the rain, hand in hand. The receptionist turned back to her magazine. Some girls had all the luck, she thought.

AN: Hey everyone, hope you're all ok. Anyway, yes, this was a pretty much pointless chapter, and I have a passable excuse. After a week of writing essays on the way of passing laws in the UK, and whether the principle of misrepresentation is an instance of misguided paternalism (incidentally, I met all my deadlines, thanks guys), I needed something easy to get me back into this story, because I don't want to be writing something lacklustre for you guys. As far as I'm concerned, everyone has been so brilliant about writing responses that you deserve the best, so I didn't want to write important plot developments when I wasn't sure that it would be good lol. Anyway, about the newspaper thing, for those of you who don't live in the UK, the Sun is pretty much the worst newspaper that there is, not containing any information about the country, just gossip and slander (and yes, there really is a topless girl on pg3…ah, British culture). Finally, lovely reviewers for chapter 18 were: silverwolf90, iou, IloveCheeseyMoments, Dracogirl4evr, keske, The Accountant's Daughter, dracoshott28, Emerald27, Miss Audrey, malfoyie456, Chrystal Slara, Bubbes, bananna15, Dracrashed, HarryPGinnyW4eva, breezie, iluv2dance, pApAw, CalisOwnCaliGrown, and year1989rocks. Sorry for dribbling on for so long, this was an awfully long note! Love Petitesorciere xxx


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Hermione pushed the flap of the tent open and stepped out, and nodded at the salesman. ''That one will be great, thanks.''

The salesman looked at her flushed cheeks and smiled lecherously. Draco followed Hermione unhurriedly out of the tent and noticed that the strange man's gaze kept dropping well below Hermione's eye level. Slinging his arm around Hermione's shoulders possessively, he glared at the assistant. ''Pack it up, we'll take it.''

''Of course sir.'' The man scurried around, cramming the tent into a small little bundle. ''May I recommend…''

''No, you may not. We don't need any extras.'' Hermione watched as before her eyes, the Draco Malfoy of earlier years came back to life. ''Just hurry up and get it packed.''

''All ready for you sir. That'll be…'' Before he could finish, Draco had contemptuously thrown the coins onto the desk and was packing the bundle into one of their trunks. Hermione flicked her wand as soon as he finished, and they left the shop, followed by their invisible luggage.

''So you can just turn that kind of behaviour on and off?'' Hermione looked at him, his head bowed against the wind.

''Of course. I was expected to act like that in public, but Merlin help me if I was like that at home.'' Hermione laughed, the wind whipping her hair across her face, rain pattering against her cheeks. Draco snaked out an arm and hooked it around her waist.

''I thought you said you were never going to do that.'' Hermione looked up at him, the top of her head level with his chin.

''Circumstances have changed slightly.'' Draco stopped, standing stock still in the middle of Diagon Alley and cupped her face delicately in his pale hands. Hermione felt the slight pressure on her cheeks and raised her face to his, like a sunflower raising its face towards the sun. She closed her eyes, feeling the rain striking her face gently as she and Draco breathed the same air for a split second. And then, regardless of everyone passing around them, Draco's lips met hers. Hermione couldn't believe that even after all the times she had kissed him that he was still able to make her feel this way through a simple kiss. She pressed her body against him, clinging as hard as she could, never wanting to let go. Draco, for his part, clutched her waist, stroking her back, forgetting everything but the tiny world that they alone inhabited.

But while they might have been lost in each other, someone else was busy watching them. Lucius Malfoy's eyes narrowed as he watched his son. It was no shock to him, of course he had been told the events that Blaise had brought about…but to actually see it, that was completely different. His fingers tightened around his wand, and he could feel a warmth coursing up his arm. The temptation to curse that Mudblood and his son to an early grave was unbelievably strong, and he almost drew his wand out, the words that would end their lives acrid on the end of his tongue. But he held his ire in check, swallowing the rage. His time would come.

His grey eyes watched coldly as Draco pulled back from Hermione's lips, gently kissed her nose, her forehead and then laughed as he stroked the wet strands of her hair off her face. He didn't see the infinite tenderness in the movements. All he saw was the way that Pureblood was allowing the slime of a Mudblood to touch him – inviting the caresses in fact! His mouth tightened as he watched their hands slip into each other's, and they walked away from where he was standing in the shadows. He pulled out his wand, and a sudden flash lit the murky alley. A bright light bobbed after the lovers, and then vanished into one of the small trunks following them. Lucius allowed his mouth one brief smirk. Now the Dark Lord would be able to trace their movements as they led him to Potter. And before long, he would be able to punish his errant son.

Hermione and Draco remained blissfully oblivious of the new turn of events, believing themselves completely alone at all times. That evening, Hermione stood outside the tent, her teeth chattering madly as she cast protection spells. Stepping inside, she saw with relief that Draco was poking his wand at something that looked warm and edible. He looked up at her and grinned.

''You look a little like a drowned rat. A pretty rat, but drowned nonetheless.''

''I reiterate my earlier point: romance, thy name is Draco Malfoy.'' Hermione pulled off her wet jumper and shook her head, sending drips of water flying. ''It's really tipping it down now.''

Draco listened briefly to the rain hammering down on the canvas of their tent and threw Hermione a towel that had been sitting on a clotheshorse near the fire. ''Dry off and have some of this.''

Hermione smiled slightly. ''You're like a housewife.''

''I've found my calling.'' Draco looked at her wryly. ''Now shut up and do what I've told you.''

''Yes boss.'' Hermione rubbed her head briefly with the towel, and took the bowl he was offering her. ''I was thinking.''

''About what?'' prompted Draco, when she failed to continue.

''I need to tell Harry and Ron.'' Hermione looked at him, chewing on her lower lip.

''Right.'' Draco's tone invited further elaboration, and Hermione leapt into the speech she had silently been preparing whilst she cast the spells.

''They need to hear this from me, not just because we've been friends for seven years, but because it's going to lead to all kinds of practical difficulties if I don't. People are going to be able to manipulate them easily if they don't know what's happening, they're going to panic about me if they don't know where I am, which is going to have negative effects on what they're doing at the moment, and they…''

''Hermione. That's fine, really. What did you think I was going to do, say no, you aren't allowed to write to them?'' Draco moved closer and ran his hands up and down her upper arms.

''You're ok with that?''

''Of course. I mean, I don't actually care what Potter and Weasley think of me, but I can see why you feel the need to tell them what's going on. I mean, something quite important has actually happened now, hasn't it?''

Hermione laughed quietly. ''I guess so.''

''I just think that you're going to find that a very difficult letter to write.'' Draco pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill. ''Go for it.''

Hermione reached up, kissed him and then set the quill to the parchment. What to say?

Dear Harry and Ron,

I haven't been entirely truthful with you recently, when I was telling you about how irritating Malfoy was being. The thing is…

Hermione's quill slowed to a halt. That was too blunt, wasn't it? To just burst straight in and say it. But then, what else could she do? Ask them how they were, tell them how she was, and then – oh, by the way, I'm going out with Draco Malfoy. Yes, your sworn enemy, that Draco Malfoy. We're on the run together. Any help you can give us would be greatly appreciated.

Hermione dropped the quill on the table, and rested her head on her forearms. How the hell was she meant to tell her friends that she had been lying to them? That she was still on their side, but she was in love with a Deatheater? That she was on the run, and really needed their help?

Draco looked at her from where he was sitting and stepped towards her, rubbing her back. ''Don't worry about it. Look, we've had a really long day. Go to bed thinking about it, and you'll think up the solution while you're asleep.'' Kissing her neck and face, he guided her over to the bed, and slid her under the covers. ''I'll be in bed in about twenty minutes, ok?''

Hermione nodded, and turned over, trying not to dwell on the matter. Draco turned back to the table, and picked up the quill. Reading what Hermione had written, he paused for a minute, and then scrawled something beneath her unfinished sentence. Dropping the quill, he rolled up the parchment and pulled out his wand. Hoping that the charm would last long enough to get it to Hermione's friends, he waterproofed and charmed the parchment and watched as it fluttered out of the tent.

Moving Hermione gently to one side, he climbed into the bed. She turned into him immediately and began nuzzling his neck. ''Why do I forget everything else when I'm with you?'' she murmured, lost in his scent.

''The feeling's mutual.'' Draco held her close to him, where she could feel their heart beats synchronizing, beating faster and faster as they stared into each other's eyes, moving quickly against each other, forgetting everything but one another and an ultimate end.

Harry unfurled the scrap of parchment that had flown in through the letterbox of 12 Grimmauld Place, saw Hermione's neat script and smiled. His smile quickly turned to consternation as he noticed another, unfamiliar, blocky scrawl beneath her writing. Scanning his eyes over it, they widened. ''Ron, come here.''

Ron poked his head around the door, slightly unnerved by the tone in Harry's voice. ''What is it?''

''Read that.''

Draco had spared no words when writing down what he needed to. The letter said quite simply:

What Hermione's trying to tell you is that she's dating me. She couldn't write this letter. She had no idea how to tell you, she's worried that she's betrayed you in some manner. Believe what you want, but at the very least, have the decency to come and hear her out. Be at the Hog's Head at 12 tomorrow if you want to hear what we have to say.

Ron looked up from the letter at Harry. ''She's dating Malfoy?''

''That's what he would have us believe. There's no way I'm meeting him on his terms.''

''How else are we going to meet him? There's no way that we're going to be able to find them. They could be anywhere.''

Harry looked at his friend, momentarily perplexed. Then he smiled. ''Owls can always find who they're looking for, can't they?''

''Yeah…''

''Then we give Hedwig a letter, tell her to find Hermione, and then follow her on brooms.''

Ron looked at Harry, raised his eyebrows and then nodded. ''Good idea.''

Harry smiled proudly and ran to his room to get his owl. Ignoring the bird's repeated hoots of irritation as she noticed what the weather was like, the boys grabbed their wands and their brooms and prepared to launch themselves out into the rain.

And then, with a swirl of white feathers, they were gone. Buffeted by blasts of wind, barely able to see through the sheets of icy rain pouring on them. After hours of flight, the sky was becoming slightly lighter in the east, and Hedwig was flying lower and lower, finding her way in between the trees of a small forest. Harry and Ron followed her, small branches whipping at their faces and arms as they guided the brooms to the floor.

Finally, Hedwig pushed her way into thin air and disappeared. The boys shrugged, and made their way towards the space, knowing that there would definitely be protection spells on the area. All it took was a few words and the tent was visible again.

Pushing open the flap, they stepped into the tent. It took a moment for Harry's eyes to accustom themselves to the dim light, but the first thing he saw when they did so was so unusual that he doubted what they were telling him.

Hermione's slim shoulders were visible above the sheets and her face was turned to one side as she slept. But this was nothing at all. It was the fact that one of her hands was resting on Draco Malfoy's chest and even as Harry and Ron watched she moved closer to him and buried her nose in his neck.

''Hermione!'' Ron shouted, shocking both Draco and Hermione into a shocked state of alertness. ''What the hell are you doing?''

Hermione sat bolt upright, clutching the quilt to herself. ''What? What are you doing here?''

''We got your letter!'' Ron was now aiming his wand at Draco, his face furious. ''What have you done to her, you Deatheater scum?''

''But…I didn't send that letter! I was going to finish it this morning…'' Hermione looked in confusion at the desk where her letter had been the previous evening.

''That was me.'' Draco looked at her and shrugged apologetically. ''I added a note to it, telling your friends that they should come and talk to you. I wasn't expecting them to burst in on us like this though.'' Draco would never have admitted it, but he was not at all at ease. His wand was too far away for him to make a sudden lunge for it, and he was acutely aware of the fact that he was naked while Harry and Ron were both in control.

''He's not a Deatheater. They're probably hunting us.'' Hermione looked beseechingly at her friends, wrapping the quilt around herself more firmly as she did so, her cheeks flushing bright red. ''He's really not a Deatheater, I promise I'm not lying to you. Please, you need to believe me!''

Harry looked at her, her brow furrowed as she stared at him, willing him to believe her. ''Why, why are you sticking up for him?''

''I'm…I'm in love with him. I didn't mean to but I did, and now he's as special to me as you two are. Please, please don't hate me.''

''Hermione, you're shacking up with the enemy!'' Ron hadn't turned his wand from Draco at all.

''Please Ron, he's not our enemy! He's not a Deatheater – I've never lied to you before, please just believe me.''

Harry put his hand on Ron's wrist. ''Let him get up.''

''Harry are you serious?''

''I'm not letting him go. I want to talk to him away from Hermione and I'd quite like him to be wearing clothes when I do talk to him.'' Harry glared at the blonde boy and pulled his wand away from him. ''Get dressed and get outside the tent.''

''Harry, please!''

''I believe you Hermione.'' Harry looked at her, wondering if he could smile. ''It's him I want to talk to.''

Hermione looked at him, her eyes wide. ''Why do you have to be away from me?''

''Because we do.'' Ron looked at Harry. ''We just do.''

Draco kissed her cheek and sauntered out of the tent, still pulling down his t-shirt. Harry and Ron followed him.

The rain hit the three of them, instantly soaking their clothes and slicking their hair to their foreheads.

Harry gesticulated with his wand. ''Go on then Malfoy! What's the clever plan now? What the hell are you doing with her?'' They practically had to shout, the level of the rain having risen so much.

''Why do I have to have some ulterior motive?'' Draco glared at the pair of them, his eyes narrowed against the rain. ''I didn't want to feel this way – I made a bet that I could get her to feel this way. And I fell for her, I fell for my own bloody trap! And now I wouldn't change the way I feel for anything!''

Ron opened his mouth to pour scorn on Draco but he was shouted over.

''And you can believe what you want, I don't care what you think of me, I don't care whether you like me or not! All I know is that Hermione was practically in tears over trying to write a letter to you that would explain the fact that she still loves you two, but she loves me as well, and I don't want to see her that way. That's the only reason I invited you here, so that you could sort things out! Hermione is the most amazing girl I've ever known: sweet, smart, clever, funny, gorgeous, and if you can't appreciate that enough to get over the fact that we're together, then you damn well don't deserve her as a friend!''

His chest was heaving slightly as he finished shouting, the rain pouring through his hair. His grey eyes were clear as they stared at Harry and Ron, daring them to disagree with him.

Harry looked at him. ''I still hate you.''

''The feeling is entirely mutual Potter.''

''But I love Hermione.''

''Go in there and tell her that then, not me!'' Draco gestured at the tent entrance. ''There's no point in standing here telling me that you're going to put up with me, because I couldn't care less. I'm prepared to be civil to you, but only because of Hermione.''

Ron stepped forward, his eyes directly on a level with Draco's. ''If you hurt her, I swear to Merlin I will make you pay.''

''Fortunately for you, I have no intention of hurting her. Just as well really, I can't see what you could possibly do to me.''

Harry grabbed Ron's elbows and pulled him away from Draco's sneer, and dragged him into the tent.

Draco rolled his eyes and followed them, preparing to sit and sulk in a corner all evening. Grabbing his wand back off Harry, he set the protection spells again, and then threw himself into a chair.

He hadn't cast the spells a minute too soon. Two Deatheaters Apparated and looked around. One's eyes fell to the floor and noticed the three sets of male footprints left in the mud.

''Go to the Dark Lord,'' he rasped. ''They are here somewhere, and most likely so is Potter and his friend.''

One of them vanished and the other settled in under some trees. They would slip up sooner or later.

AN: hello my lovelies! Wasn't that a wonderfully long chapter? I honestly didn't mean for it to be that long, I just began writing and couldn't stop lol. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it enough to leave me a review, with any comments, praise, criticism, or suggestions for where you think this story should go. My lovely reviewers for Chapter Nineteen were: Bubbes, Xblackdragonx, Emerald27, Cali'sOwnCaliGrown, pApAw, Fnicks-Gurlz, Wolf Maid, year1989rocks, writerchick13, The Accountant's Daughter, keske, dracoshott28, iluv2dance, Dracogirl4evr, ILOVERWHPDM, Murgy31, No.angel90, HarryPGinnyW4eva, breezie, Chrystal Slara, IloveCheeseyMoments, and Dracrashed. Thank you very much everyone! Hope everyone's enjoying their last weeks of school or whatever, and good luck to all of you with exams etc. Much love Petitesorciere xxx


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

Harry looked around the tent, blushing slightly as he saw the unmade bed with its twisted sheets a startling reminder of exactly what had been happening in the room. Hermione saw where his gaze had fallen briefly and hurried forward to straighten the sheets out, her cheeks flaming. It wasn't that she was embarrassed about what she and Draco had been doing but…Harry and Ron were like her brothers!

Draco slumped in an armchair, fiddling with his wand, not wanting to look up at the two boys that had managed to catch him in such a vulnerable position. Sparks shot out of the end of his wand and he looked up to see Hermione sitting cross-legged on the bed, looking exceedingly anxious as she chewed on her lower lip.

Draco felt his heart almost expand in his chest as he looked at her. Even as he stood up to do it, a thousand reasons not to shot through his head : unnecessary aggravation of Potter and Weasley, maybe make Hermione more uncomfortable…

Without thinking anymore, he sat on the bed next to her and slid an arm around her shoulders. He squeezed her slim shoulder gently, and felt her wriggle almost imperceptibly into him. Draco whispered in her ear – ''It's going to be ok. Don't worry.''

Ron's eyes narrowed. ''Do you have to do that in front of us?''

''I didn't do anything Weasley.'' Draco stared at him coldly. ''I was merely reassuring my girlfriend.''

''She's our friend, and she was our friend first! Don't think you can steal her away you smug bastard!''

''I harbour absolutely no intention of 'stealing' Hermione. As far as I'm concerned, she can be a friend to whoever she wants. Although it would be nice if they could reassure her rather than wasting time shouting at me.'' Draco's trademark drawl was firmly back in place.

''I wouldn't be shouting at you if you weren't putting on disgusting public displays of affection!''

''Oh for Merlin's sake…'' Draco swore silently under his breath and then grabbed Hermione's chin, pulled her lips to his mouth and kissed her as passionately as though there had been no one there. She froze momentarily but then kissed him back, unable to resist the sensation of their lips meeting. Releasing her, Draco gave her a smile that made her melt all over again. ''There, now you've got something proper to bitch about Weasley.''

''You…you…'' Ron struggled for words as Draco slid sinuously off the bed and back into his chair. Hermione seized her chance.

''I'm sorry I didn't tell you straight away.''

Her two friends looked back at her, Draco forgotten. ''Why didn't you tell us?''

''Harry, come on! You weren't exactly understanding! You barged in here and began shouting and dragging Draco outside to interrogate him – can you blame me for being slightly reticent?''

''Don't turn the blame back onto us Hermione!''

Hermione took a deep breath in and her shoulders slumped slightly. ''No. I know it's my fault. But I'm sure you can understand the fact that I was afraid of what your reaction was going to be.''

''Why him?'' Ron looked at her, his eyes incredulous as he jerked a thumb at Draco.

Hermione looked over at Draco and her features noticeably softened. ''I didn't meant to. But, he didn't act like the kind of idiot that we've hated for six years. He was so different – he is so different! He's sweet, and smart, and funny, and…'' Hermione cut herself off before she began talking about his sex appal. ''I just fell for him, and I wanted to tell you, but I didn't know how.''

''Pretty simple to say 'I'm going out with Malfoy', I would have thought.'' Harry looked at her with raised eyebrows.

''No, it isn't Harry! How am I meant to reconcile the feelings that I have for Draco with the feelings I have for you? Because they aren't incompatible, but I know that you aren't going to be able to see past who he was straight away!'' Hermione looked hopelessly at her two oldest friends, standing uncomfortably in the middle of the tent. ''This is pointless isn't it? You're never going to be able to look past the fact that this is Draco Malfoy.''

''Why would I want to look past that point Hermione? He's branded with the mark of the man that killed my parents, my friends, countless other people – and you want me to snuggle up next to him like we're best friends?'' Harry's cheeks were flushed with anger.

''Because this is me, Harry. I'm your friend, both of you! Please trust me on this.'' Tears filled Hermione's eyes, threatening to spill over onto her cheeks.

''I believe you.'' Ron's voice spoke up grudgingly from behind Harry, and he shrugged as they all turned incredulous looks on him. ''Come on Harry, when is she ever wrong. Malfoy must have something going for him. Doesn't mean we have to like him.''

''Really Ron?''

''Hermione, I've known you for seven years, and to be honest, we've had enough arguments. You stay with Malfoy if it means so much to you.''

''Ron…'' Hermione jumped off the bed and ran over to him to hug him. ''Thank you, thank you so much.''

''Doesn't mean I'm staying around.'' Ron hugged her back briefly and then moved away. ''I hate that bastard. He and his family have been trying to make family feel bad for ages, and as much as I love you, there is no way in hell that I'm staying with him for longer than I need to.''

''You're just going?'' Hermione looked up at him, frowning sadly. ''There's no way you can stay? Please, I haven't seen you for so long.''

''I really can't Mione. I'm sorry.'' Ron hugged her again. ''The longer I stay here, the higher the risk of me starting a fight, and I don't want that.''

Hermione nodded sadly. ''Ok. Harry, are you going too?''

''Yeah. I don't understand this Hermione, I really don't.''

''I'm sorry.'' Hermione hugged him tightly.

''It's fine. Don't worry.''

''I miss you guys so much, you know that don't you?''

''We miss you too. But you aren't losing us, you really aren't. We're just not going to be around when he is.'' Harry held her tighter for a brief second and then released her. ''You know where you can go if you need help?''

Hermione nodded. ''I'll be there if I ever really, really need you.''

And with that, Harry and Ron walked out of the tent, bowing their heads in the rain. Hermione turned to Draco.

''That went better than I expected.''

''You don't mind that much?'' Draco stood up and went over to her, only wanting her in his arms.

''Of course I mind, I just…'' But before Hermione could finish what she was going to say, a red flare lit up the canvas walls and a shout of 'Stupefy', from an unfamiliar voice, echoed through the quiet woods.

Hermione tore herself away from Draco, dashing for the exit of the tent. She couldn't even call for her friends, overwhelmed as she was by the icy feeling of dread. But by the time she had gotten out of the tent, all that was left was a mass of muddy footprints, already being obliterated by the rain.

Hermione turned to Draco who was following her out of the tent, his face creased with concern. ''Oh my God,' she whispered, her face a mask of pain. ''He's got them, they've got Harry and Ron.''

Her knees gave way beneath her and she collapsed, kneeling in the mud with tears etching rivers of pain into her cheeks. ''Draco, oh my god, what am I going to do?'' She buried her face in her hands, unable to think at all.

''You aren't going to have to do anything on your own.'' Draco knelt down next to her, his hair already slick against his head from the rain. ''I'm going to come with you.''

''But you…you hate Harry and Ron.'' Hermione looked at him, and Draco felt his heart twist with agony as he looked at the anguish on her face. He stood up and pulled her to her feet, his face fierce.

''I would do anything for you, and if that means I get your friends back for you, I'll do it. Have you got your wand?''

Hermione nodded mutely, and Draco smiled at her. ''Everything is going to be ok. Remember, we look after each other?'' He reached out a hand and dried the hot tears off her face, running his finger under her eyes. ''Come on, they'll be at Malfoy Manor.''

He clutched Hermione to him, not willing to risk even a temporary separation, as he turned on the spot and pushed them into a suffocating blackness. All he was aware of was Hermione against him, and all the hopes that they had placed on each other.

_**AN: hello my lovelies, I'm getting quicker with the updates lol! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, things really are beginning to draw to a close now, and I'm beginning to map out the ending in my mind. So I just hope you'll all stay with me till the end because I really appreciate all the support I'm getting (even from you naughty people who add this story to your favourites list and then don't leave me a review!). So my amazing reviewers for chapter 20 were: dracoshott28, writerchick13, keske, Fnicks-Gurlz, Silent-Mousie, Tennessee Sweetheart, riotgirllina, iluv2dance, pApAw, ILOVERWHPDM, bananna15, The Accountant's Daughter, HarryPGinnyW4eva, breezie, Cali'sOwnCaliGrown Dracrashed and year1989 rocks – thank you so so so so so much guys (and if you're new to this story, please please please leave me a review, I love reading them). Incidentally, I'm trying to go through all your profiles and read any stories you might have, but if there's one that you think I should definitely read, let me know! Anyway, much love to all of you…Petitesorciere xxx, **_


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two

Thick drapes hung heavily against the cold glass of the windows of Malfoy Manor, blocking out the sight of rain. However, the inside of the Manor was far from cosy. Candles were lit but far from filling rooms with light, they kept their glow firmly to themselves, spreading huge shadows across the tiled floors.

Unfortunately for Harry and Ron, the shadows didn't seem to make it any easier for them to evade the grasp of their captors. Laughs and jeers followed them as they were dragged through the house, their feet dragging helplessly. Their wands were obviously in someone else's hands, and their shouts made absolutely no difference. Harry's mind raced. How stupid could he have been? Stepping outside into unknown territory without any kind of cursory check. He cursed Malfoy under his breath, certain that this was all some elaborate ploy on his part.

The object of Harry's cursing had in fact just Apparated outside the gates of Malfoy Manor, clutching Hermione to him. He let her go and she immediately looked around in bemusement.

''Where are we?''

''My illustrious home.'' Draco gestured sarcastically at the house towering against the night sky. ''Voldemort was here all summer, and I'm guessing things won't have changed at all.''

Hermione pulled her wand out and looked at him, pale in the moonlight, rain spattering off his forehead. ''We should go in. Now.''

''Yeah…'' Draco leaned forward to catch her lips one last time. ''I don't know if I'll have the chance to do that in there, so that's to keep me going.''

Hermione laughed slightly, the choked sound escaping her locked throat. ''How can you think of that at a time like this?''

''If I don't, then I'll go mad.'' But Draco was already turning towards the gate, and then turning away. ''You know that they'll know we're coming if I open this gate?''

''How else are we going to get in?''

''No idea. Come on then.'' Draco pushed the gate open, grabbed her hand, and before Hermione could say anything, they were running as fast as they could for the entrance. Nothing attacked them, nothing hindered their progress at all, and Draco shook his head despairingly as they reached the front door.

''What's wrong?''

''It was too easy – that means they know we're coming and they have something fiendish prepared inside.''

''Or they're too busy torturing Ron and Harry to pay any attention to us!'' Hermione pushed against the door and it swung slowly open, revealing the dark interior of the house. She turned to Draco. ''Are you sure they're in here?''

''Trust me, this is actually very well lit for our house.'' Draco stepped into the house, and began making his way through the corridors. ''They'll probably be in the dining room.''

''I always forget that you've spent so much time around Deatheaters,'' Hermione whispered as she tiptoed through the house, trying not to make any floorboards creak.

''Hermione, that bloody snake is going to be around here somewhere, please be quiet.'' Draco's voice sounded strained, and Hermione immediately closed her mouth, hating herself for the fact that he was doing this for her.

They carried on their way, eventually seeing a crack of light seeping from underneath a closed door. They made their way to the door, their own breathing seeming unnaturally loud in their ears, their hearts pounding closely against their ribcages, their hands shaking slightly. They stood either side of the door, willing it not to open suddenly.

Complete silence filled the corridor, and Hermione held her breath, positive that their presence was glaringly obvious. But then a cold, high voice cut through the quiet.

''And once more, Potter stands, utterly defenceless before me.''

''You don't learn from your mistakes do you? Stop playing with your food Riddle!'' Harry's voice sounded remarkably defiant, and Hermione could have cursed him right there and then. Honestly, asking for his own death! She shot a glance at Draco, her eyes wide. ''Should we go in?'' she mouthed, hoping he could see her in the dim light.

He shook his head and continued listening.

''You ask for death Potter?''

''Did I stutter? You heard me.'' Hermione could have sworn that Harry was enjoying this. She shot another glance at Draco – there was only so much of Harry's behaviour that Voldemort would tolerate, and she personally had no desire to see Harry killed.

''Draco, please.'' She hissed desperately at him.

Draco looked at her, her tawny eyes staring anxiously at him. How was he meant to explain without words that if they burst in at the wrong moment they were going to be killed without any warning? Her eyes were growing more and more frantic, she obviously thought that he was going to stand out here and wait until Potter and Weasley were dead.

Draco took a deep breath in and moved forward before he could think about what he was going to do anymore. He shoved the door open and took a brief second to take in the scene. Harry and Ron were writhing against invisible bonds. They were surrounded by a circle of Deatheaters, with Voldemort standing in the centre his wand ready. Harry and Ron's wands were thrown carelessly on a table behind the circle, clearly forgotten. Without further ado, Draco gripped his wand slightly tighter and shouted ''Expelliarmus!''

Chaos reigned in the room for a short minute. Voldemort's wand had shot out of his hand and into the air. The crush of Deatheaters had all dashed forward to retrieve the wand and hand it to their master, meaning that it had been almost instantly lost. The spells holding Harry and Ron had ended as soon as their caster had been disarmed, so they were fortunately making the most of the moment and running for the door, snatching their wands as they went.

Draco had instantly grabbed Hermione's hand and was pulling her through the manor, leading her effortlessly through long passages that his feet remembered even though his eyes couldn't see. He ducked through secret doors, taking the routes that normally only the house elves did. Deatheater feet were already pounding through the house after them, trying to find them in the gloom.

''I hope they don't catch Potter and Weasley again,'' Draco panted back at Hermione. ''Otherwise this entire thing was utterly pointless! Here, get in there!'' He pushed her towards a door, her hair streaming past him as she ran, and for a brief moment, he caught the scent of her hair and warm skin. Slamming the door behind them, he immediately ran to the other side of the room and began moving furniture.

''So this is your room?''

''Got it one.'' Draco heaved a particularly large chest out of the way, clearing space so that he could move a book shelf.

''Any reason why you're trashing it?'' Hermione asked as she helped to pull the shelves away.

''Passage behind…don't think they know about it.'' Draco rapped the wall sharply, and a hidden door sprang open. It'll lead us to outside the manor boundaries and we can Apparate the hell out of here.''

''Harry and Ron? Draco, I can't leave them, what if they've been caught again?'' Hermione looked at him, clearly torn. ''I'm sorry, I shouldn't have made you do this, I've dragged you in and you don't belong here…''

''Shut up.'' Draco's clear, silver eyes stared at her. ''You didn't make me come, I came because I love you and I don't want to see you unhappy. However, I also don't want to see you dead.'' Hermione tensed, preparing herself to have to fight not to go through the door. ''Which is why you are going to stay in this room while I go and get your friends.''

''But what if they get you?''

''Then you have my permission to leave the room.'' Draco grabbed the sides of her neck and pulled her close to him, closing his eyes as he kissed her forehead fiercely, wanting to put all of his feelings into that one caress. ''I am not going to risk losing you, or letting you get hurt!''

''And you think that I'm going to risk losing you, or letting you get hurt?'' Hermione held him right back, her eyes angry. ''I'm not a little girl, for Merlin's sake.''

''Hermione, please! How the hell do you think I'm meant to survive without you?''

''I'm saying exactly the same back. Stop wasting time, come on!'' Hermione grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the door. She put her hand on the door knob, just as it was flung open, sending her reeling backwards. She was immediately up again, her wand at the ready, knowing that Draco was behind her, doing exactly the same thing.

Harry and Ron stood in the door way, panting and dishevelled. Large bruises streaked both of them, but Hermione didn't lower her wand. ''What did your mother give me for Easter in fourth year?'' She pointed her wand at Ron.

''A really small egg?'' Ron looked at her, his eyebrows furrowed, praying that he'd got the answer right.

''And you. What did I tell Umbridge to get her out of the castle?''

''That we had a secret weapon hidden in the Forbidden Forest.'' Harry immediately stepped into the room, closing the door softly behind himself and Ron. ''We need to get out of here now. They'll find us in a minute.'' His eyes fell on the open door. ''Good way to get out of here now.''

Draco stepped to one side and gestured for him to go. ''Get running. As soon as the tunnel gets out into the open air, Apparate.'' With a single nod of gratitude, a grateful look at Hermione and a panicked glance at the entrance to Draco's room, Harry and Ron began sprinting.

Hermione grabbed Draco's hand. ''We need to get going.''

''Come on then.'' The pair of them set off through the corridors, feet flying as fast as possible, not wanting to risk slowing. Their hands were linked, pulling the other when they began to flag. After what seemed like forever, especially when they were listening out for the tread of strange feet, they finally felt the cold brush of night air on their faces. Draco held his face up to the moon momentarily and thought that he had never been so glad to feel the rain. Before he could truly take it in, Hermione was twisting on the spot, taking them away.

When they appeared wherever Hermione had chosen to take them, Draco stared at her, already running around in circles, setting up new protection charms. When she finally stopped and came up to him, hugging him, seeking his warmth, he held her as tightly as he could.

''Were you always that stubborn and I just didn't notice before?'' he murmured into her hair.

''Yep.'' She laughed into his chest, slightly exhilarated because of the adrenaline in her system. ''I've been hiding it before.''

''Cheeky minx.'' Draco kissed the top of her face and then tipped her head up so that he could kiss her soft mouth. His heart was still beating quickly but now he knew that it was due solely to the girl that he was holding to him. ''Are you always going to argue with me like that?''

''Only when you want to do something stupid like splitting us up.'' Hermione kissed him back. ''I was thinking…''

''Really? Because you never normally do that.'' Draco grinned at her.

''Shut it. We should go to the Order's meeting place. We need help now. And I want to check that Harry and Ron are ok.'' Hermione looked at Draco, slightly surprised when he nodded without any disagreement.

''You need to check they're ok. I can deal with that. Plus, I saved their lives, it'll be good to lord that over them.'' Draco smiled at her, sat down and held out a hand. Hermione sat in his lap, shielded in his arms. ''Where are we going?''

As Hermione kissed Draco, unable to resist any longer, Voldemort lifted his wand and released Severus Snape from the Cruciatus Curse. As Hermione smiled at her lover, Snape raised his head from the floor and looked into cruel eyes. And then both Hermione and Snape opened their mouths at exactly the same time and spoke exactly the same words : 'Number 12, Grimmauld Place.'

_**AN: Hey lovelies – yes, it's another cliff-hanger –I'm sorry! Just to let you know, the way I'm thinking, at the moment there will only be two more chapters, so enjoy them while you can lol. So anyway, I hope you liked this chapter enough to review, as my lovely reviewers for chapter 21 did. Thanks to: Bubbes, an angel from darkness, The Accountant's Daughter, Dracogirl4evr, riotgirllina, Fnicks-Gurlz, writerchick13, Xblackdragonx, Murgy31, breezie, Silent-Mousie, pApAw, dracoshott28, CalisOwnCaliGrown, Kai's Bloody Rain, Chrystal Slara, year1989rocks, Dracrashed and IloveCheeseyMoments. Lots of love…Petitesorciere xxx**_


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty Three

Draco stood in front of Number 11 Grimmauld Place and looked at Hermione. ''And your safe place is where?''

''At number 12.'' As Hermione said the words, the street elongated, pushing the doors aside so that Sirius's old house could materialise. ''Come on. And don't expect anyone to be nice to you.''

''Fine.'' Draco rolled his eyes and followed Hermione quickly up the garden path, casting one last look into the street as he shut the door.

Hermione dropped her bag loudly. ''Hello? Anyone home?''

''In the kitchen Hermione!''

Draco looked at Hermione. ''Who's that?'' he whispered.

''Tonks.'' Hermione was already pushing the door open and walking through. Tonks was sitting at the table, her hands placed carefully on the table in front of her. ''How are you?''

''She's doing a hell of a lot better than you Mudblood.'' Bellatrix stepped out from behind the kitchen door, her wand raised, an evil smirk crossing her lips. ''Drop your wand now.''

Hermione looked at her, her mind blank. Bellatrix's lips turned into a scowl. ''I said, drop it!'' she snarled, and flicked her own wand. ''Expelliarmus!''

Hermione felt her one defence, a fragile stick of wood slip from between her loose fingers and willed herself to wake up. She felt as though she was submerged in ice, unable to move or think clearly at all. Bellatrix smirked again. ''Hands on head, and I think you and dear Nymphadora can go into the drawing room with the others.''

Others? Hermione closed her eyes in horror, unable to comprehend that this was happening. Surely it was all a nightmare? The last safe place hadn't been destroyed, it wasn't being invaded. Numbly, she placed her hands on the top of her head, and followed Tonks into the other room, Bellatrix standing behind them both with her wand raised. Hermione stepped through the door, and saw Remus, Fred, George, Ginny and Mrs Weasley looking back at her. Tonks sniffed behind her, and Hermione glanced back to see silvery tears trailing quickly down her face.

Responding to the impatient jerks of Bellatrix's wand, they sat down, lowering their hands cautiously to their laps. Bellatrix's chest was heaving slightly as she smiled proudly. ''So foolish. To trust in a charm alone to save your lives.''

Hermione ignored her, her eyes staring fixedly at the door that they had just come through. Where was Draco? Was he going for help? Was he planning to do something stupid? She hated herself for even thinking it, but she was hoping that he was planning to do something stupid. The idea that they would be separated in a time like this…she shuddered slightly and then cursed herself for being so selfish. He should get out while he could. She turned her eyes back to Bellatrix and knew that there was no way that any kind of mercy or kindness would be forthcoming. She was as good as dead.

Draco stood outside the front door, under a disillusionment charm, loathing himself for putting a foot outside. How could he even have thought of leaving the house when he could hear his aunt's hysterical voice and breathing echoing through the kitchen. He knocked his head back against the wall he was leaning against and groaned softly. He could feel cold rain running through his hair and he closed his eyes against the constant drizzle.

Suddenly, he was pushed slightly off the doorstep by something invisible. Before he could help himself, his fists were clenched and he was punching the thing that had pushed him, gritting his teeth so as to avoid letting loose a torrent of abuse. The more hits that he landed he began to realise that this was a human, two of them in fact. Thinking only of Deatheaters, he began to punch even harder, groping around for a neck. Finally feeling the windpipe beneath his fingers, he clutched at it, only to have what seemed to be a silver sheet slide off in his hand.

Potter and Weasley stood in front of him, both breathing hard and bloodied. They looked straight through him, clearly unable to see through the disillusionment charm. They immediately made a move for the front door, but Draco grabbed them by the back of their necks and pulled them with him as he apparated to a near by park that he had once been to with his father.

A small child saw two beaten up boys spin out of midair, rubbed his eyes and ran straight back to his mother's side. Draco looked about, making sure that he couldn't see anyone watching and then removed his disillusionment charm.

''You!'' Harry immediately lunged at Draco, who stepped back smartly.

''Watch it Potter.'' Draco looked at him coolly, mildly impressed with the damage that he had been able to inflict. ''I didn't realise it was you, I thought it was a Deatheater.''

''Why would a Deatheater be going into number 12? And how did you know where number 12 is?'' Harry was staring coldly at Draco, his green eyes narrowed and his fists clenched.

''We do have a mutual friend Potter. I hadn't noticed that that scar affected the way your brain works.''

''What the hell have you done to her?'' Ron stood next to Harry, his eyes wide, obviously preparing himself for the worst as he spoke through gritted teeth.

''I haven't done anything. It's probably the Deatheaters that have broken into your safe place that should be your primary concern.'' Draco folded his arms, dredging a smirk back onto his face, not wanting to admit how worried he was.

''So instead of letting us go in and rescue our friend, you beat us up, pull us out and drag us to some park somewhere?''

''Well I thought you might have appreciated the fact that I stopped you walking into the middle of a trap. That and the fact that the pair of you already owe me your lives.''

''What do you want Malfoy?'' Ron was already going through his pockets, pulling his wand out.

''Put it away Weasley. I want your help.'' Draco spat the words out, hating himself for having to say it, wishing he could save Hermione on his own.

''With what?''

''Saving Hermione! What else could I possibly want your help for?'' Draco glared at him. ''You just aren't much use to me if you're stuck in the middle of the trap.''

''She's our friend Malfoy. Don't think for a minute that we're doing this for you. We're doing this for Hermione.'' Harry took a deep breath in and glanced at Ron. ''What's your idea?''

Hermione sat, her spine perfectly straight, her chin raised proudly. Her hands were folded neatly in her lap, and if it were not for the fact that she occasionally blinked, she would have looked like a statue. Her cheeks were blanched, and her eyes stared straight ahead. She willed herself to remain perfectly still, refusing to give into the prickling sensation building up behind her eyes. Draco hadn't come into the room, wand blazing as he saved everyone, and she was forced to conclude that he wasn't likely to be doing so at any time. Now all she had left was her dignity, and she would hold onto that for as long as she could, not crying, not begging, not even giving her the opportunity to criticise her.

They had been sitting there for at least an hour now. Even Bellatrix was wilting slightly as she waited for her master to come. Personally, Hermione didn't think that he was going to be coming until there was news that Harry had been caught. The rest of them were entirely immaterial.

Blaise wandered into the room, looking in contempt at the various captives. His eyes lit up lasciviously as they fell on Hermione. She tensed slightly, willing herself not to shudder. ''What's she doing here?''

''Same as the rest of them.'' Bellatrix glared at him, obviously cross to have been removed from her reveries. ''And she won't be here for much longer.''

''Can I have her before she's finished off?'' Blaise looked at Bellatrix as though she was about to say whether there would be a Christmas this year or not.

''I don't see why not. If you really want to pollute yourself with that kind of scum.''

''I want to teach her a lesson. She humiliated me. And now she really is all alone, without anyone to look out for her.'' Blaise's eyes narrowed cruelly.

''Oh Mudblood, what did you do to this poor boy?'' Hermione ignored Bellatrix's malicious jibing, and raised her chin slightly higher. ''I said, what did you do to this poor boy?'' Bellatrix leapt up and stuck her wand under Hermione's chin.

''I didn't do anything that he didn't have coming to him.'' Hermione spat, not even bothering to look at her tormentor.

''You can deal with this one. She's utterly worthless anyway, nothing more than a Mudblood. Take her now.'' Bellatrix seized the back of Hermione's t-shirt and flung her forward. She was thrown off balance and ended up kneeling at Blaise's feet.

He smiled down at her. ''Exactly where you belong. Get up, and get out into the hall.''

Bellatrix smirked and then spun around with her wand trained on the others. ''Don't you dare do anything! Not even your pathetic crying!''

Blaise grabbed Hermione's wrist, pulling her up the stairs, banging doors open. She wrenched away from him, desperately trying to get out of his iron grip. ''Let me go, you freak! Get off me!'' The volume and pitch of her voice rose until Blaise turned around and silenced her with a slash of his wand.

''Now, do I have to immobilise you as well?''

Hermione pulled away again, feeling the burn of friction as he tightened his grip. He yanked her forward again, swearing under his breath. Hermione shook her head frantically, trying desperately to cling onto anything. Even Bellatrix would be better than Blaise, she thought as she scratched off wallpaper by trying to find something to hold on to. Eventually Blaise swung her around and slapped her hard across the face, flinging her one way and then back again, as he did it again. Hermione felt blood trickle from the corner of her mouth and blinked furiously as the tears that she had been trying to hold back threatened to overwhelm her. Finally, Blaise found what he had been looking for and threw her in, following after her.

''I tried to have you once, and that pathetic excuse of a boyfriend butted in. But you're alone now, aren't you?'' Blaise stared at her, his eyes mad and wide. One push was all it took to send Hermione careening back, crashing into a dusty old bed. The sheets had been stripped off long ago, and all that was left was an ancient mattress, the springs beginning to poke through. She glared back at Blaise, unable to protest, to scream, to shriek for help. She settled for scrabbling away from him, only to have him aim his wand at her again, leaving her immobilised. ''You just don't learn, do you? Stupid bitch.''

He grabbed her by the throat and flung her back, her body loose now instead of frozen. He began to arrange her limbs, humming a little, ignoring the choked motions of her throat as she tried to scream.

Draco pushed open the door to Number 12, Harry and Ron behind him. They had their plan, agreed on quickly, simply because Harry and Ron couldn't stand to be around him and vice versa. Turning to nod once at them, Draco pushed the door to the drawing room open, and yelled 'Stupefy'. It worked in much the same way as it had when he had used it at home to free Harry and Ron. His aunt, alone in guarding the prisoners, crumpled to the floor. He ran straight over her body and stared at the Weasleys and Remus and Tonks. ''Where's Hermione? What's she done with her?'' His eyes were mad.

''Blaise took her upstairs.'' Ginny was already running her hands through Bellatrix's robes, looking for the confiscated wands. ''Hang on a minute and I'll…''

She was interrupted by the door banging again. Draco was gone, and feet could be heard running up the stairs. Harry turned and ran out of the room, and headed straight for the kitchen. Ron followed him. ''What are you doing? Come on, we'll go up as well!''

''Malfoy will look out for Hermione. We need to make sure there aren't any other Deatheaters in the house.'' Harry saw Ron open his mouth to protest. ''One minute Ron, that's all it will take. Then we can go!''

Draco ran softly along the upstairs corridor, pushing doors open frantically. Finally, much as Blaise had done, he found what he was looking for. Hermione was lying on a bed, her eyes squeezed tightly shut as Blaise towered over her, slowly unbuttoning his shirt. He was completely unaware of Draco, so inflamed was he by the thought of what he was going to do to Hermione.

Draco's mouth twisted into a grimace. ''Get the hell away from her.''

Blaise's head snapped up, and he scowled. ''You just don't learn when to give up, do you Malfoy?''

''No point in giving up when you're going to win!'' Draco lunged at Blaise, his fists pounding as he took out all the frustration of the past hour. ''Why can't you leave her alone for Merlin's sake?''

''Because she's Mudblood scum! You might have forgotten it, but I haven't! And I'm going to teach her a lesson, teach you a lesson and kill the pair of you!''

Draco didn't even bother answering. Fists and curses flew around the room, dislodging dust and old furniture. Blood dripped off noses and onto the floor. Bruises blossomed under clothes and over eyes. Hermione lay helpless on the bed, unable to even twist her head to see what was happening. All she could hear was the meaty thwack of fist connecting with face, and smell scorched fabric in the air.

Finally, she heard a different sound. Wood, snapping in half. Suddenly, the looseness of her limbs stopped, and she had control of her muscles. She scrambled to her knees just as Draco pulled himself to his feet as well, holding the two halves of Blaise's wand in his pale hands.

''Have you had enough, you stupid bastard? Or do I have to carry on going?'' His nose was screwed up in contempt as he spat the words down at Blaise. Draco turned his head and looked at Hermione. ''I'm sorry, I didn't want to go, but I had to.''

''You came back. That's all I need to know.'' Hermione whispered at him, still not trusting herself not to burst into tears.

''I didn't go far.'' Draco reached out a hand to her face, shocked by how blanched her cheeks were.

''You'll be going a lot further!'' Blaise pushed himself off the floor, lunging at Draco, pushing him back onto the floor. Draco wriggled, trying to push the other boy off him but was unable to do so. Blaise's hands clamped around Draco's neck, squeezing as tightly as he could, kneeling on Draco's hands.

Hermione flew off the bed, her small hands reaching around so that she could scratch Blaise's face. He threw her off with a simple jerk of his shoulders. She ran forward again but he just knocked her away again, laughing. ''Don't worry Mudblood, I'll deal with you as soon as Malfoy's dead.''

Hermione made to go forward again but the door opened for the third time that evening, and this time Harry and Ron were framed in the door. They saw the scene and without a word, threw Hermione her wand and aimed their own.

Hermione shrieked a spell, sending Blaise flying off Draco and smashing into a wall in a cloud of dust and blood. Her two oldest friends pointed their wands at Blaise, keeping him exactly where he had landed. Hermione ran forward and raised Draco slightly, looking at his throat where bruises were already appearing in the shape of Blaise's fingers.

''I can look after you just as well as you can look after me,'' she whispered in his ear, helping him to his feet, both of them slightly shaky. Ron looked at Draco contemptuously.

''You going to kill him now?''

''I might be a lot of things, but I'm not a killer.'' Draco looked at Ron and Harry and slid his arm around Hermione's waist. ''The Order can sort out what they want to do with him. And with Bellatrix. I don't care. I'm not a Deatheater, and I'm not going to act like one by killing either of them.''

''So you aren't a Deatheater, what are you?''

''You tell me.'' Draco looked down at Hermione. ''Can we please go and sit down somewhere? Or I'll sit somewhere and you come in a minute?''

Hermione kissed his cheek, avoiding the bruises. ''Go downstairs. I'll come in a minute.''

She walked over to Harry and Ron, and hugged them both fiercely. ''Thank you.''

''For what?''

''For being here. I was worried that you wouldn't because Draco and I…''

''We told you Mione, you're our friend and that isn't going to change.''

''And Draco…''

''We don't like him. You do. End of story.''

She kissed each of them on the cheek, hugged them so tightly they had difficulty breathing and ran down the stairs. Draco was sitting back on one of the sofas, breathing deeply.

''Hey you.''

She grabbed a warm, wet cloth and wriggled into him, dabbing gently at his bleeding cuts. ''Hey you. Mr Lifesaver.''

''Miss Lifesaver.''

''We look out for each other. And we'll carry on doing that.''

''Promise?''

''Of course.'' Hermione wiped away a smear of blood and Draco caught her hand.

''Stop that for a minute.''

''Why?'' She looked up at him , her eyes puzzled.

''Because I haven't done this for at least one hour.'' Draco laughed and raised her chin, kissing her softly on the mouth. He pulled her lower lip into his mouth, nibbling gently on it, feeling her kissing his upper lip as he did so. Their tongues slipped into each other's mouths, reacquainting with tastes and feelings. They pulled apart, smiling hazily into each other's eyes. ''And that's why I like doing that.''

Hermione laughed at him. ''Right. So we just have to keep safe throughout the rest of this war?''

''Should be easy enough.'' Draco pulled her close to him, an arm around her shoulders. ''You know the drill. I look after you. You look after me. Easy.''

Hermione kissed his neck. ''Simple.''

AN: There, that was the longest chapter I've written for this story! I hope you enjoyed it, and I'd love it if you could leave me a review. Only the epilogue to write now, just to tie up those few loose ends left, so I hope everyone will stay on to see this story right to the end. Anyway, my lovely reviewers for chapter 22 were: Emerald 27, CalisOwnCaliGrown, IloveCheeseyMoments, Silent-Mousie, bananna15, iluv2dance, The Accountant's Daughter, HarryPGinnyW4eva, pApAw, DracoGirl4evr, dracoshott28, Murgy31, Chrystal Slara, breezie, Dracrashed and riotgirllina. Thank you so much my lovely, amazing people! Much love…Petitesorciere xxx


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty Four

A gentle breeze pushed the leaves of the trees from side to side, causing sunlight to dapple on the ground. A few white clouds scurried across the blue sky, leaving the sun to shine brightly.

Hermione slid her hand into Draco's and tugged slightly. ''In case it had escaped your notice, we're meant to be there right now. Come on!''

They picked up their pace, walking swiftly across the grassy fields, Draco's arm wrapped around Hermione's shoulders. She turned her face up to his as she had done so many times in the past and was rewarded with the familiar kiss. Hermione felt her heart swell slightly with love, and she pressed her body closer to Draco's, feeling his fingertips trace her neck as she laced her hands around the back of his neck. He pulled away gently. ''And I thought you were in a rush?''

''Shush.'' Hermione walked the final one hundred yards with him, hugged close to him in companionable silence. ''Nervous?''

''Nothing to be nervous about anymore.'' Draco could see the group of people ahead of them now, and skirted quickly towards them.

Harry, Ron, the rest of the Weasleys, and other various members of the Order of the Phoenix were standing in a small group, smiles wide across their faces. Hermione dashed forward and hugged them all, squealing excitedly with them, congratulating and commiserating. Draco settled for nods and smiles, not wanting to overstep the boundaries that he had imposed on himself.

Eventually, the crowd separated, and Hermione nestled back into Draco. Kingsley stepped forward, holding a small urn. Draco looked at it, perfectly aware of what was in it.

''Today we put an end to the terror that has plagued our community for so long,'' Kingsley's rich voice rolled across the field, and Draco tuned out slightly, watching strands of Hermione's hair dance in the breeze.

They had kept each other safe throughout the rest of the war. It had taken one year since the invasion of Number 12 Grimmauld Place for the war to end, and while both of them had their scars and bruises and memories to bear, there was nothing that they had not faced together, and nothing that they had to keep apart. Draco had sat up with Hermione when she woke up screaming from nightmares where he hadn't come in to rescue her from Blaise. She had stayed up with him talking endlessly when his father had been killed, reassuring him that it was ok to love a Deatheater – the Deatheater had been his father after all.

Now, one year on, a couple of days after Harry had finally managed to kill Voldemort, they were burying his ashes in an unmarked place so that a shrine could never be built to them. Draco felt Hermione's small waist beneath his fingers and smiled. There was nothing to separate them now.

True, there was never going to be any danger of him being best friends with Harry and Ron but they could all stand to be in the same room for short amounts of time which was a definite improvement. It probably helped that he had done all he could to help the Order of the Phoenix, bringing in countless Deatheaters, regardless of whether they were family or friends of his family. Many had been imprisoned for crimes against the wizarding community.

Hermione smiled, watching as the small hole was dug for all that was left of Tom Riddle, feeling Draco dropping a small kiss on the top of her head. It was a day like this when she truly appreciated how lucky she was to be alive. The sun was shining and the smell of freshly cut grass was being blown across the fields by the gentle breeze. She would spend the afternoon with the Order, with Harry, Ron and Ginny, and then she and Draco would go over to her family's for dinner. She rested her head against Draco's chest, smiling proudly at Harry.

The small ceremony ended, and they walked away, leaving no sign of what had occurred, or who now rested there. Harry and Ron passed her by, grinning at her and nodding at Draco. She smiled up at her lover.

''Happy?'' he asked.

''Unbelievably.'' She kissed him again.

''Good. That's what I want to hear you say every time I ask you that.''

Hermione winked at him. ''You always will. Come on, let's go.''

Draco slipped his hand in his pocket, feeling the small jewelry box under his fingers, hoping that the ring was still sitting neatly on its small cushion. Maybe he would propose tonight, maybe he wouldn't. It didn't matter, they had all the time in the world. He smiled down at Hermione.

''Yeah, let's get out of here.'' He slung an arm around her shoulders, and together they walked back across the field, the warmth of the sun on their backs.

_**AN: It's the end of an era! You have no idea how sad am I (but thrilled at the same time) to have finished this story, it has honestly been so much fun to write! I hope that everyone is happy with my fluffy little happy ending…leave me a review to let me know? Many thanks to my absolutely wonderful, amazing, brilliant reviewers who have made me feel so happy with every lovely comment they wrote. For the last chapter, my reviewers were: Xblackdragonx, The Accountant's Daughter, iluv2dance, write-this-song, Tennessee Sweetheart, year1989rocks, pApAw, HarryPGinnyW4eva, Alyssal, breezie, Chrystal Slara, CalisOwnCaliGrown, IloveCheeseyMoments, Lucy Westerna and Silent-Mousie. I honestly cannot reiterate enough how much your reviews have meant to me (god, I'm going all schmaltzy, I need to stop!). So I hope you'll keep an eye out for anything else that I put up, and always let me know if you want me to read anything you've written! All my love…Petitesorciere xxx**_


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